US Launches Airstrikes in Somalia Targeting Key al-Shabab Figures


US airstrikes in Somalia against al-Shahab militants

Ugandan soldiers serving in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) patrol in a formation near the Jilacow underground cell inside a national security compound after an attack by suspected militants in MogadishuFeisal Omar/Reuters



The US has launched airstrikes in Somalia targeting key al-Shabab Islamist figures, the Pentagon has announced.


It is still unclear who the exact targets of the bombardment were, as US officials said they were assessing the impact of the attack.


"We are assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information as and when appropriate," Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters.


The US has also not revealed the timing of the operation nor where it took place.


US media outlets cited a military official as saying "a senior al-Shabab operative" was the target of the attack.


Local reports from Somalia suggest the airstrikes were carried out by US drones which launched Hellfire missiles near the port city of Barawe, a stronghold of al-Shabab.


It is not known if US ground forces were involved in the operation.


Last October, the US Navy Seals carried out an anti-terror operation, including a ground attack, in Barawe in a bid to capture senior commander Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulkadir.


The operation proved unsuccessful following a brief gunfire with the insurgents.


African forces retook the country from the al-Qaeda-inspired group in 2011 but the armed Islamist organisation, which controlled southern Somalia from 2006, remains a dominant force in the region, frequently staging major attacks.


The latest American attack has come on the heels of the extremists launching a car bomb attack on an intelligence facility in the capital Mogadishu in an effort to release al-Shabab detainees.


The encounter left seven militants and five others dead.



Israel: Aerial Video Shows Devastated Gaza City's Al-Shejaiya Suburb


Gaza devastation rubble

Palestinians walk on the rubble of their destroyed houses in the Tufah neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City.(MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)



The scale of the devastation caused by Israeli shelling on Gaza during the recent two-month conflict has been shown in an online video.


The brief footage by Palestinian-based production company Media Town was taken from the air above Gaza City's eastern suburb of Al-Shejaiya.


A series of buildings shattered or completely reduced to rubble can be seen in the one-minute footage that was recorded at the end of August.


Al-Shejaiya was the site of fierce fighting and, on 19-20 July, underwent one of Israel's heaviest bombardments during Operation Protective Edge.


At least 60 residents of the densely populated neighbourhood were killed and thousands were forced to flee their homes.


Some 13 Israeli soldiers from the Golani Brigade were also killed during the clashes, Arutz Sheva 7 reported.


Fighting in the Gaza strip has ceased as an open-ended truce between Israel and Hamas was agreed last week.


According to international organisations, at least 17,000 Gaza housing units were destroyed or severely damaged during the conflict, adding to a pre-existing shortage of 75,000 homes.


Inter-agency Shelter Cluster, which is chaired by the Norwegian Refugee Council with the participation of the UN refugee agency and the Red Cross, said that if the current blockade on the strip remains in place, it will take up to 20 years to rebuild the necessary housing stock.


Palestinian officials have estimated that total costs of reconstruction could surpass $6bn (£3.6bn).


In the seven-week conflict, over 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians and 68 Israelis - of whom all but five were soldiers - were killed.



Vladimir Putin Continues Soviet Rhetoric by Questioning Kazakhstan's 'Created' Independence


Russia Kazakhstan

Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan (front L) and Vladimir Putin of Russia arrive at the Summit of Head of States of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in Moscow.(Reuters)



Fears are growing in Kazakhstan over Moscow's rhetoric towards the country following Russia President Vladimir Putin's claim that "Kazakhs never had any statehood", it was "created".


The Russian leader told a pro-Kremlin youth camp at Lake Seliger near Moscow that Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev had "created a state on a territory that never had a state."


"Kazakhs never had any statehood, he has created it," he said.


It is believed by analysts that Putin's statement of Kazakh independence only being achieved because of Nazarbayev is a warning that it could easily vanish when the 74-year-old is no longer in office.


In response, Nazarbayev warned that Kazakhstan may leave the Russian-led Customs Union, an economic coalition which includes Belarus, if it feels that its independence is threatened in any way by Moscow.


"Kazakhstan has a right to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union," he told the Kazakh television station Khabar.


"Kazakhstan will not be part of organisations that pose a threat to our independence."


Kazakhstan was the last Soviet republic to declare independence from the Soviet Union when it finally did so in December 1991.


"Our independence is our dearest treasure, which our grandfathers fought for," Nazarbayev added. "First of all, we will never surrender it to someone, and secondly, we will do our best to protect it."


Putin's comments conjure memories of a statement he made to former US President George Bush in 2008 when he said that "Ukraine is not even a state!" during a Bucharest summit.


According to The Moscow Times, many Kazakhs have taken to social media in counter Putin's claims that Kazakhstan "never had any statehood", demanding that people "send a history textbook to Putin".


Russia's annexation of the Crimea Peninsula and its alleged incursion into eastern Ukraine and support of pro-Russian separatists have contributed to fears in Astana that Moscow may set its sights on other areas of the former Soviet Union.



China Warns European Union Against Fresh Sanctions on Russia


Donetsk Ukraine rebels Nato

Pro-Russian separatists walk towards destroyed war memorial at Savur-Mohyla, a hill east of the city of Donetsk.(Reuters)



China has said it opposed any new EU sanctions against Russia over accusations it is fuelling the separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine.


The European Union announced plans on Sunday to tighten sanctions against the Kremlin, a move that was welcomed by Washington.


Beijing said that the European Union's plan to implement fresh economic penalties against Russia would complicate the crisis.


"A political solution is the only way out, sanctions do not help to solve the underlying problems in Ukraine," said China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang.


"It may lead to new and more complicating factors."


In a bid to remain neutral, China has remained relatively quiet over Russia's behaviour in Ukraine since it annexed the peninsula of Crimea, neither endorsing nor condemning its ally's actions.


Qin called on all parties to "avoid taking further actions that could lead to an escalation of tensions."


The EU and US have imposed a raft of incremental sanctions against Moscow since March. The latest measures, passed in late July, targeted Russia's arms, defence and energy industries.


While sanctions have thwarted economic growth and sparked a rush of capital flight from Russia, they have proved less effective in curbing the violence in eastern Ukraine.


The UN's human rights agency said on August 29 that 2,593 people had been killed since fighting erupted in eastern Ukraine in mid-April, which did not include the 298 people that were killed in the MH17 plane crash.


The death toll rose sharply after Ukraine's President launched an offensive against the pro-Russian separatists that appeared to hamper the rebellion.


However, the separatists appeared to have been re-armed with Russia's assistance in recent weeks, as they fought back against Ukrainian government forces.



Hot Shots Photos of the Day: Volcanoes and Airshows Dominate Today's Gallery


Fighter jets of the Patrouille Suisse (Swiss Patrol) perform at the Air14 airshow in Payerne, western Switzerland
Fighter jets of the Patrouille Suisse (Swiss Patrol) perform at the Air14 airshow in Payerne, western Switzerland(AFP)


The Breitling Wingwalking team perform during the Air14 airshow in Payerne, Switzerland. The Swiss Air Force is celebrating its 100th anniversary with the biggest airshow in Europe this year
The Breitling Wingwalking team perform during the Air14 airshow in Payerne, Switzerland. The Swiss Air Force is celebrating its 100th anniversary with the biggest airshow in Europe this year(Reuters)


Scandinavian wingwalking duo Skycats perform on a Grumman-164A aircraft at the Slovak International Air Fest SIAF 2014 in Silac
Scandinavian wingwalking duo Skycats perform on a Grumman-164A aircraft at the Slovak International Air Fest SIAF 2014 in Silac(AFP)


Legendary aerobatic pilot Zoltan Veres of Hungary demonstrates his skills at the Slovak International Air Fest SIAF 2014 in Sliac
Legendary aerobatic pilot Zoltan Veres of Hungary demonstrates his skills at the Slovak International Air Fest SIAF 2014 in Sliac(AFP)


Burning lava flows after the Bardabunga volcano in Iceland erupted at a fissure estimated to be at least 1.5km long
Burning lava flows after the Bardabunga volcano in Iceland erupted at a fissure estimated to be at least 1.5km long(Reuters)


Tungurahua volcano erupts near Banos, Ecuador
Tungurahua volcano erupts near Banos, Ecuador(Reuters)


Smoke and ash fills the air as Mount Tavurvur erupts in Rabaul in eastern Papua New Guinea
Smoke and ash fills the air as Mount Tavurvur erupts in Rabaul in eastern Papua New Guinea(AFP)


A 41-year-old man going by the name of
A 41-year-old man going by the name of "Chibatman" rides his self-designed "Chibatpod" on the road in Chiba, east of Tokyo(Reuters)


Fireworks explode above the Man just before it is set alight
Fireworks explode above the Man just before it is set alight(Jim Urquhart / Reuters)


Attendees dance during the Made in American music festival in Los Angeles
Attendees dance during the Made in American music festival in Los Angeles(Reuters)


Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora perform on the Marilyn Stage at the 2014 Budweiser Made in America Festival at Los Angeles Grand Park
Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora perform on the Marilyn Stage at the 2014 Budweiser Made in America Festival at Los Angeles Grand Park(Getty)


Kanye West performs onstage during the Made in American music festival in Los Angeles
Kanye West performs onstage during the Made in American music festival in Los Angeles(Reuters)


A competitor runs through a foam tunnel during the Brutal Run extreme obstacle course race in Budapest, Hungary
A competitor runs through a foam tunnel during the Brutal Run extreme obstacle course race in Budapest, Hungary(Reuters)


A man falls off a pole covered in grease during celebrations for the feast of St Julian near Valletta, Malta
A man falls off a pole covered in grease during celebrations for the feast of St Julian near Valletta, Malta(Reuters)


Arsenal's Per Mertesacker catches Leicester City's David Nugent in the face with his boot during their Premier League match at the King Power Stadium in Leicester
Arsenal's Per Mertesacker catches Leicester City's David Nugent in the face with his boot during their Premier League match at the King Power Stadium in Leicester(Reuters)


AC Milan's Sulley Muntari celebrates after scoring a goal against Lazio during their Italian Serie A match at the San Siro stadium in Milan
AC Milan's Sulley Muntari celebrates after scoring a goal against Lazio during their Italian Serie A match at the San Siro stadium in Milan(Reuters)


Maria Sharapova of Russia uses an ice pack to cool off during a break in her match against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the 2014 US Open tennis tournament in New York
Maria Sharapova of Russia uses an ice pack to cool off during a break in her match against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the 2014 US Open tennis tournament in New York(Reuters)


A woman calls for assistance on an escalator in the flooded Ryparken S-train station during a heavy rainstorm in Copenhagen, Denmark
A woman calls for assistance on an escalator in the flooded Ryparken S-train station during a heavy rainstorm in Copenhagen, Denmark(Reuters)


A devotee immerses an idol of the Hindu elephant god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, in a pond during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai
A devotee immerses an idol of the Hindu elephant god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, in a pond during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai(Reuters)


Members of the Band of the Moscow Suvorov Military Music College perform on the first day of an international military music festival on Red Square in Moscow
Members of the Band of the Moscow Suvorov Military Music College perform on the first day of an international military music festival on Red Square in Moscow(Reuters)


A vendor sells T-shirts printed with images of Russia's President Vladimir Putin at a stall in St Petersburg
A vendor sells T-shirts printed with images of Russia's President Vladimir Putin at a stall in St Petersburg(Reuters)


A target depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen at a shooting range in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv
A target depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen at a shooting range in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv(AFP)


Syrian army soldiers fire during a battle with rebels near the border fence with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights
Syrian army soldiers fire during a battle with rebels near the border fence with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights(Reuters)


A Somali government soldier holds his fighting position against suspected militants during an attack inside a national security compound in Mogadishu
A Somali government soldier holds his fighting position against suspected militants during an attack inside a national security compound in Mogadishu(Reuters)



Heineken Sells Empaque to Crown Holdings For $1.2bn


heineken

Heineken has sold its packaging business to a US company(Reuters)



Beer brewer Heineken has sold its Mexican packaging business for over $1bn.


US company Crown Holdings has agreed a $1.2bn deal to purchase Empaque, which will generate a one-off gain of $300m for the Dutch brewing firm.


The deal is expected to go through by the end of the year as Heineken looks to up its game on the brewing side of its business.


"Divesting the Empaque packaging operations will allow Heineken to focus its resources fully on brewing, marketing and selling its world-class portfolio of beer brands," it said in a statement.


Empaque generated revenues of $660m in 2013 for Heineken and will remain as its can, cork and glass bottler supplier for the brand after the sale has been finalised.


"A transfer to Crown, a dedicated global leader in consumer packaging, will benefit the development of Empaque in the long term," Heineken added.


Heineken recently reported a profit of €1.5bn ($2bn, £1.2bn) in August, up from €1.3bn ($1.7bn, £1bn) on the same time as last year.