Russia/Somalia/Piracy: one pirate dead, 10 captured in Russian tanker rescue

RIA Novosti news agency reported on Thursday that one Somali pirate was killed and 10 captured in an armed rescue mission realised by military sailors from the Russian anti-submarine ship Marshal Shaposhnikov to free the Russian tanker MOSKOVSKIY UNIVERSITET hijacked by pirates off the coast of Yemen on Wednesday.

The Liberia-flagged and Russian operated oil tanker with 23 Russian crew members and 86,000 tons of oil was hijacked by Somali pirates on Wednesday around 8.00 am Moscow time (04:00 GMT), when it was sailing from the Red Sea to China.

According to navy officials, Russian sailors used helicopters and speedboats to chase the pirates. The pirates on board the tanker opened fire using small arms. One of the pirates was killed when Russian sailors returned fire. No one of the Russian sailors was injured during the gun battle. Russian sailors seized grenade launchers and the equipment used to board the tanker, ladder and grappling hooks from the pirates.

Iraq/Terrorism: prominent Sunni cleric and six others killed in three seperate attacks

Iraqi security sources stated on Wednesday that seven people have been killed in a spate of attacks in Iraq, including a prominent Sunni cleric.

According to security officials, unknown gunmen in a speeding car opened fire on Abdul-Jalil al-Fehdawi, deputy head of the Council of Iraqi Scholars, as he was leaving his home in the district of al-Ameriya. Two of his bodyguards and one of his family members were also killed in the attack.

Separately, a policeman and a civilian were shot dead by gunmen in the Serj Khana market in the centre of the city of Mosul, 400 kilometres north of Baghdad.

In another incident, a civilian was shot and killed by gunmen in Mosul's neighbourhood of Telafr.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces arrested 20 wanted individuals and uncovered a weapons cache in Mosul's western area of al-Baaj.

Yemen/Insurgency: kidnapped Yemeni soldiers freed

Yemeni officials stated on Wednesday that separatist gunmen freed two soldiers abducted in the south on Saturday to press for the release of two jailed southern leaders.

According to members of a local council in the area, the soldiers were released on Tuesday after tribal mediators in the province of Lahej secured a pledge from the government to resolve the issue of the prisoners, who were not released.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni government accused Shi'ite Houthi rebels of shooting dead two shepherds in their tent in the northern Jawf province, violating a February truce. There were no immediate comments available from the rebel’s side.

In March, the Houthi rebels freed at least 170 government soldiers and tribal fighters. The move comes after the Yemeni government accused the rebels of not fully respecting the truce signed in February to end a conflict that has engulfed the northern part of the country since 2004.

United Kingdom/Security: police arrested five IRA members over Ulster attacks

The Police Service of Northern Ireland sated that they had arrested five Irish Republican Army (IRA) members on suspicion of involvement in a series of bomb attacks this year in the British territory of Northern Ireland.

According to the police, they apprehended three men on Wednesday in the border town of Newry. The Garda Siochana police force in the neighbouring Republic of Ireland said its officers arrested two men in framework of the same investigation.

Last month, IRA members detonated two car bombs outside the Northern Ireland office of the British spy agency MI5 and a police station in the border village of Newtownhamilton. However, neither blast caused damage or serious injuries.

Somalia/Insurgency: journalist shot dead in Mogadishu

Unidentified gunmen shot dead Sheik Nor Abkey, a Somali journalist working for the state-run Radio Mogadishu after abducting him on his way back home from work in Mogadishu on Tuesday, officials said.

Abdirahman Yusuf, the editor of Radio Mogadishu stated that Al-Shabaab fighters have killed Abkey. According to Yusuf, Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Somalia is considered as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. Official report say nine journalists have been killed by fighters in the country last year.

Nepal/Civil unrest: Maoists blocked roads to government offices in Kathmandu

For the fourth consecutive day, Maoist activists in Kathmandu continue their indefinite strike, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, media reported on Wednesday.

Reportedly, Maoist activists blocked the streets including in front of Singhdurbar, the main secretariat of Nepal. However, many government ministers already had entered the complex under police protection before dawn.

The Maoists want the Prime Minister to step down so that they can lead a coalition government. Home Minister Bhim Rawal told reporters Wednesday that the prime minister was not going to bow to the pressure from the protesters and does not plan to resign.

Earlier on Tuesday, authorities started evacuating scores of tourists stranded by the shut down. Domestic airlines had been forced to cut down the significant amount of flights by as much as 70 per cent as passengers were unable to reach airports.

Greece: Three people killed in Athens as protests turn violent

At least three people died in Athens as protestors set fire in a bank. Fire brigades managed to save other four employees of the bank. Meanwhile, media reported that another building was set on fire near Greek parliament.

Currently tens of thousands of manifestants protest in Athens against the new austerity measures  proposed by the Greek government.

Iran/Security: Five Kurdish rebels killed in Kermanshah province

Fars news agency reported that five Kurdish rebels belonging to the banned Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) have been killed by revolutionary guards in Iran's Kermanshah province on Wednesday.

Ali Akbar Nouri, a commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, confirmed that the five, including two women, were members of PJAK. According to Nouri, two other members of the group were injured during the clashes but managed to escape.

PJAK, an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), is frequently engaged in armed clashes with Iranian security forces along the country's western borders with Iraq. Recognized as a terrorist group by Turkey, Iran, Iraq, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations, the PKK is responsible for many deadly operations in northern Iraq and southern Turkey.

India/Terrorism: Indian army officer killed in Kashmir

Officials and media reported that an Indian army major and a soldier were killed in a gun battle between terrorists in Bandipora district in Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday.

Reportedly, the skirmish broke out after army launched an operation to flush out terrorists in Chattibandi, located around 60 kilometres north of the state's capital Srinagar. According to security officials, the encounter started late on Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, additional reinforcements have been dispatched to the area to strengthen the cordon at the encounter site.

Earlier on Monday, four police personnel have been killed in an ambush by activists of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in Bihar's Aurangabad district.

Somalia/Russia/Piracy: Somali pirates hijacked Russian tanker

The European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) announced that Somali pirates had hijacked the Liberia-flagged and Russian operated oil tanker MV MOSKOVSKIY UNIVERSITET on Wednesday morning 350 miles off the coast of Yemen.

EU Naval Force spokesman John Harbour said the attack occurred as the tanker was heading east with a final destination of China.

A total of 23 crew members, all Russians, are on board and are believed to be well. Meanwhile, the Novorossiysk Shipping Company said in an online statement that a Russian warship is on its way to the tanker and should arrive at the scene in the evening.

Earlier on Tuesday, Yemen's Defence Ministry reported that Somali pirates have hijacked a cargo vessel off the coast of Yemen and are believed to be holding the crew of nine Yemeni sailors. Reportedly, the ship was seized by the Somali pirates after setting sail from the Yemeni port of Mukalla on its way to the port of Aden.

Greece/Civil unrest: general strike paralyzes Athens

Tens of thousands of public and private sector workers walked off the job in Athens on Wednesday to stage a general strike over government's austerity measures, media reported.

Reportedly, schools, hospitals, tax offices and tourist places remain closed on Wednesday. Flights in and out of Greece were also stopped at midnight, and trains and ferries were not running early on Wednesday. Police deployed about 1,700 officers throughout the capital to maintain order.

The general strike comes as the government intends to push the  package of new austerity measures through parliament on Thursday. According to protest leaders, due to these austerity measures poorer Greeks will suffer disproportionately.

Earlier on Tuesday, approximately half a million public sector workers affiliated to the ADEDY union (Civil Servants’ Confederation) have stormed the Acropolis and clashed with riot police. Demonstrators reportedly threw stones at riot police, who responded with bursts of pepper spray to keep the crowd back. However, there were no reports of any injuries.

Afghanistan/Terrorism: Taleban fighters launched new series of attacks

Afghan Interior Ministry stated that Taleban bombers equipped with suicide vests and automatic weapons attacked government buildings in western Afghanistan early Wednesday. According to Interior Ministry spokesman Zamarai Bashary, several attackers were killed by Afghan forces, while the rest were holed up in a building in Zaranj, the capital of the western province of Nimruz.

Nimruz governor Ghulam Dastagir Azad stated that there have been seven explosions so far. Reportedly, a gun battle between the insurgents and security forces is still going on.

Separately Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said their fighters have attacked Dur Baba in the eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday night and killed 15 Afghan troops. He said two Taleban fighters were also killed during the fighting that lasted for two hours. However, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, a spokesman for the provincial government rejected the claim. He said there were no casualties from the governmental side and the Dur Baba district is under control of Afghan forces.

Meanwhile, the Danish military command reported on Wednesday that 11 Danish soldiers have been wounded in an attack on a base in southern Afghanistan late on Tuesday in the volatile Helmand province.

Venezuela/Organised crime: eight killed in prison riots in Santa Ana

Fighting between two rival groups in Santa Ana Prison in the western state of Tachira left eight inmates killed and 10 prison guards wounded on Tuesday, officials and media reported. Reportedly, the violence began after rival gangs fought for control of cell blocks.

National Guard Major Jose Figueroa Sanchez stated that riot erupted when a group of prisoners kidnapped two guards as leverage for their demand to be transferred to other prisons. Another group of prisoners who disagreed with that action clashed with the kidnappers.

Sanchez said during the fighting seven prisoners were killed and seven guards were seriously injured. National Guard troops retook control of the prison.

According to figures compiled by the independent Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones (OVP), 366 detainees were killed in the country's prisons last year, while 635 were injured.

Greece/Civil unrest: Greek strikers hit Athens streets over austerity plan

Greek Media reported on Tuesday that approximately half a million public sector workers affiliated to the ADEDY union (Civil Servants’ Confederation) have stormed the Acropolis on Tuesday and clashed with riot police after launching a 48-hour strike against austerity measures.

Reportedly, dozens of communists gathered on the ancient Acropolis early on Tuesday, draping giant banners on the Parthenon temple reading: "Peoples of Europe Rise Up."

There were no immediate reports of any injuries. The incident comes ahead of a general strike of private sector workers on Wednesday against the government measures agreed to implement in exchange for a 110 billion-euro ($145 billion) rescue package from the European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Tens of thousands of public sector workers are expected to take part in the Wednesday's general strike.

United States/United Arab Emirates/Security: US took three people off New York-Dubai flight

Emirates Airlines stated that US officials halted its flight EK 202 from New York to Dubai on Monday and removed three passengers, officials and media reported on Tuesday.

In a statement, the airlines said that full security procedures were activated, including the deplaning of all passengers and a thorough screening of the aircraft, passengers, and baggage.

Meanwhile, the source did not mention the exact reason for the detention.  The identities of arrested passengers have not been revealed by the authorities so far.

Earlier on Monday, US authorities arrested a man in connection with a failed car bombing in New York's Times Square on Saturday. Faisal Shahzad was accused of driving the sport utility vehicle packed with explosives into the busy area on Saturday evening. US authorities arrested Shahzad at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as he attempted to board a flight to Dubai.

Somalia/Yemen/Iran/Piracy: Somali pirates hijacked Yemeni cargo ship

Yemen's Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday that Somali pirates have hijacked a cargo vessel off the coast of Yemen and are believed to be holding the crew of nine Yemeni sailors.

Interior Ministry stated the ship was seized by the Somali pirates after setting sail from the Yemeni port of Mukalla on its way to the port of Aden. However, the ministry did not specify what the ship was carrying or when it was hijacked.

According to Yemen's coast guard, the vessel was being held at a northern Somali port. The coast guard was now making efforts to get the ship released.

Separately, the Iranian Navy has foiled an attempt by Somali pirates to hijack a foreign cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday. Reportedly, several Iranian naval vessels intercepted 22 Somali pirate boats that had surrounded and attacked a cargo ship, The Atlantic, which was heading from Singapore to the Suez Canal.

Iraq/United States/Terrorism: Al-Qaeda leader arrested; imam killed by gunmen in Mosul

Security officials announced that unidentified gunmen shot dead an imam of a Sunni mosque in the city of Mosul late on Monday. According to officials, the attackers opened fire on the imam as he was leaving the mosque after finishing his evening prayers.

On the same day, Iraqi security forces arrested Mohamed Mahmoud Salama, a prominent Al-Qaeda leader during an operation targeting Al-Qaeda hideouts in the city of Baquba. Security forces also arrested 25 other Al-Qaeda members during the operation.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the US Army stated that the alleged leader of a terrorist group responsible for global "jihadist recruitment" was arrested in Baghdad on Monday. He also mentioned that Iraqi security forces captured Abu Abdullah Al Shafi'l, the emir of Ansar Al Islam, and seven other terrorists during raids in the Baghdad neighborhoods of Mansour and Adhamiya.

Reportedly, Ansar Al Islam is responsible for funding terrorist operations in Europe and the United Kingdom and the distribution of extremist propaganda. Al Shafi'l also is believed to be associated to  Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden.

Lithuania/Security: police detains woman suspected of terrorism

Egle Kusaite, a 20-year-old Lithuania woman was arrested by Lithuanian law enforcement services on charges of plotting to carry out terrorist attack at a Russian military site, media reported on Tuesday.

Reportedly, Kusaite was apprehended in October in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius as she was boarding a flight to Russia. According to officials, Kusaite has been trained in handling explosive devices and had contacts with radical extremists in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Russia and Great Britain.

Nepal/Civil unrest: Maoists continue the strike to force the government to resign

For the third consecutive day, Maoist activists in Kathmandu continue their indefinite strike, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, media reported on Tuesday.

On Monday protesters threw stones at the police, four officers got injured. Maoist protesters also vandalized several shops in Kathmandu, accusing the owners of defying their strike. Police fired teargas to disperse the crowd. The Maoists want the government of Nepal to step down so that they can lead a coalition government. The prime minister said he will step down, but only if the Maoists pursue their demands through dialogue and meet certain conditions.

Meanwhile, authorities started evacuating scores of tourists stranded by the shut down. According to officials, domestic airlines had been forced to cut down the amount of flights by as much as 70 per cent as passengers were unable to reach airports.

Afghanistan/United Kingdom/Terrorism: two British soldiers killed in Helmand

(Aventurier Patrick By/Gamma/Photo News)

Britain's Ministry of Defence announced that two British soldiers have been killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Monday.

According to the ministry, one soldier was killed in an explosion and another in a traffic accident in the Nad-e Ali area of Helmand province. Their identities were not immediately released. The defence ministry also paid tribute to Corporal Harvey Alex Holmes, who died on Sunday by an improvised explosive device in Sangin, a small town in Helmand.

The deaths of two soldiers bring the number of British troops who have died in the war in Afghanistan to 284.

Separately, a joint operation of Afghan and NATO forces killed five terrorists in Gezeb district of Daykundi province on Monday. Security forces also arrested several terrorists during the operation. Reportedly, the terrorists were plotting to carry out roadside bomb attacks in the area.