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From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Forrest reporting. The migrant crisis in Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel faced down jeering anti-immigrant protesters Wednesday, saying her country has no tolerance for what she called "shameful and repulsive" treatment of refugees seeking asylum there. Meanwhile, refugee chaos reigned in southern Hungary, with police firing tear gas at a migrant center where about 200 migrants refused to be fingerprinted. The government of Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists have agreed to seek an end to cease-fire violations in the eastern part of the country on September 1, the first day school. The truce was negotiated by the Trilateral Contact Group under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The two sides agreed in February to a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, but sporadic fighting has continued. Selling by investors in China drove Shanghai stock prices down again Wednesday, despite traders' earlier hopes that five days of losses could be reversed. Meanwhile, Wall Street surged at the beginning of trade Wednesday and closed up. European markets dropped sharply at first and then regained almost all of their losses. Brokers in the West said investors were regaining confidence after the market turmoil that peaked last week when China devalued its currency. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir signed a peace agreement aimed at ending nearly 20 months of fighting between government forces and rebels led by his former deputy. Mr. Kiir expressed reservations while signing the agreement Wednesday during a ceremony in the capital, Juba. The government has previously objected the power-sharing provisions, calls to demilitarize the city of Juba and putting foreign peace monitors in South Sudan. This is VOA news. [fire TV reporter] A fire TV reporter Wednesday shot and killed, another reporter and a cameraman as they were doing a live on the street interview. The person being interviewed was wounded in the incident. The attack took place near Roanoke in southwestern Virginia. The gunman, Vester Flanigan, shot himself when confronted by police outside Washington DC and later died. Why did he do that? Jeff Marks, the manager of WDBJ-Television says Flanigan, who was black, had racial resentments. "He was sort of looking out for people to say things that he could take offense to. He, and, eventually, after many incidents of his anger coming to the fore, we dismissed him. And he did not take that well. We had to call police to escort him from the building." :Jeff Marks of [WBDJ] WDBJ-Television. NATO says two gunman wearing Afghan defense forces uniforms attacked a military compound in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province Wednesday, killing two coalition service members. It says coalition troops returned fire, killing both of the shooters. The brother of the deceased Taliban leader Mullah Omar is speaking out about an internal power struggle that risks fragmenting the Afghan insurgency. Ayaz Gul reports. Within days of confirming the death of its long-time chief, Mullah Omar, the Taliban announced that the leadership council had elected a new chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. Shortly after that, a group of Taliban leaders led by Omar's family questioned the legitimacy of that election. That group wants Omar's brother, Mullah Abdul Manan, to be his successor. Its spokesmen say a panel of prominent pro-Taliban clerics is trying to mediate between the rivals and is expected to issue a decision soon. Mansoor's aides claim that there is no conflict though they acknowledge a panel of religious leaders is addressing the concerns of a few estranged Taliban leaders. Ayaz Gul, Islamabad. Activists are hailing a Botswana court ruling that they say sets a precedent to improve access to HIV treatment across southern Africa. On Wednesday, the Botswana Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that the government is required to provide foreign prisoners treatment at government expense. The government had earlier refused to treat them. A member of Colombia's FARC rebels pleaded guilty in Washington DC Wednesday to seizing three Americans and holding them hostage for more than five years. Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltrán faces life in prison when he is sentenced in U.S. federal court in November. From the VOA news center in Washington, I'm David Forrest. That's the latest world news from VOA. |