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From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm Ray Kouguell reporting. Concern grows over migrant disasters in the Mediterranean.
The U.N. human rights chief (is) accusing Europe of a "monumental failure of compassion" Monday in its response to the soaring number of migrants who are drowning in the Mediterranean. Zeid Raad al-Hussein said he was "horrified but not surprised by this latest tragedy," referring to the capsizing last weekend of a boat filled with hundreds migrants or more off the Libyan coast as it headed to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. All but the 28 survivors who were rescued are feared dead. Lisa Schlein has more on search and rescue efforts. International Organization for Migration spokesman Joel Millman tells VOA search and rescue missions are continuing. "The waters are calm and the weather is fair right now, the authorities believe there remains a chance to find people." The International Organization for Migration reports the death toll this year is more than 1,500, compared with 96 during the first four months of 2014. The majority of migrants making this perilous journey are from sub-Saharan Africa, Eritrea, Somalia and Syria. Lisa Schlein, for VOA news, Geneva. Authorities have responded to distress calls from three more boats filled with hundreds of refugees in the Mediterranean. The militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for an apparent suicide attack on a U.N. bus in northern Somalia that killed at least seven people. The attacker Monday targeted a minibus carrying staffers of the U.N. Children's Fund as they traveled from their guesthouses to their office. Local police say the dead included four foreigners, two Somalis and the bomber. This is al-Shabab's third deadly attack against international personnel in three days. This is VOA news. U.S. government agents have arrested six men from the upper U.S. Mid-west state of Minnesota for allegedly planning to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State militant group. The six, all members of Minnesota's Somali-American community, have been charged with conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization. Prosecutors say the six men are all between 19 and 21 years old. Four of them were arrested Sunday in Minneapolis while two others were arrested in San Diego, California. They allegedly were trying to travel to Turkey by way of New York City and San Diego in an attempt to reach Syria. The American warship, USS Theodore Roosevelt, is repositioning as part of a security operation at sea and not to intercept Iranian vessels off the coast of Yemen. U.S. officials said last week Iran deployed at least seven ships, some carrying weapons to Yemen, in a bid to shore up Houthi arms supplies through port city of Aden. Houthi insurgents are facing deadly air raids from a Saudi Arabian-led coalition and ongoing clashes with local forces. Thailand is reporting the largest ever ivory shipment seizure. Steve Herman reports. Thailand on Monday put on display 739 tusks of African elephants. They are from an illicit ivory shipment weighing four metric tons. That was intercepted on Saturday at the port in Bangkok. Richard Thomas, global communications coordinator in London for TRAFFIC International, the wildlife trade monitoring network, tells VOA this is a very, very significant seizure. "Movements of this kind are very, very strongly indicative of organized crime." Thai authorities say the shipment, which was hidden in sacks of beans, originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo and was destined for Laos, making its likely final destination markets in China. Steve Herman, VOA news, Bangkok. The United States and the Philippines have launched their biggest joint military exercise in 15 years with a focus on enhancing preparedness in the region. This year's annual ten-day exercise is twice as large as last year's involving around 11,000 troops from both nations. A U.S. reporter jailed in Iran is being charged with four crimes, including espionage. A lawyer for Jason Rezaian told The Washington Post newspaper he also faces charges of "conducting propaganda against the establishment" and "collaborating with hostile governments." The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years imprisonment. The newspaper's executive editor Martin Baron described the charges as "ludicrous." Rezaian and his wife, also a journalist, were arrested in July last year after Iranian security forces raided their home in Tehran. His wife has been released, but Rezaian has remained in jail for nine months. I'm Ray Kouguell in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |