https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/sisters-who-fled-saudi-arabia-as-teens-to-australia-found-de

Sisters who fled Saudi Arabia as teens to Australia found dead

Two sisters were discovered dead in a south-west Sydney flat under "suspicious" circumstances. The women left Saudi Arabia as adolescents to seek refuge in Australia.

Officers doing a welfare check discovered the ladies, aged 23 and 24, in separate beds of their first-floor Canterbury flat on June 7 after the couple failed to pay rent for four weeks and mail began to pile up outside their door.

The remains of the sisters had been there for "some time", according to police, and showed "no obvious signs of injury."

Authorities are treating their deaths as "suspicious", with the Homicide Squad investigating.

According to the Daily Mail Australia, the sisters escaped Saudi Arabia without their families in 2017, when they were 18 and 19, and NSW Police are now attempting to identify their relatives.

The women had been working with a refugee service for five years, assisting foreign nationals fleeing persecution and seeking asylum.

Police were still awaiting autopsy findings on Friday and have yet to locate and contact the women's families in the Middle East in order to properly identify the dead.

According to Daily Mail Australia, the sisters were not in frequent communication with their families back home.

In January 2019, the elder sister obtained an AVO against a 28-year-old guy, according to the Daily Mail Australia. It is unclear whether the man was a relative or not. Later, the AVO was withdrawn and dismissed.

After the owner of their apartment issued several notices to the women for overdue rent, police showed up at their apartment to hand them an eviction notice when they discovered they had been killed.

The ladies began visiting the adjoining service station in 2020, shortly before the Covid epidemic, and were regulars until two months ago, when they stopped going by. They described the duo, one brunette and one blonde, as "quiet" but "very friendly", and stated that they would only respond to questions.

The Daily Mail Australia has also reached out to the Saudi Consulate General for comment.

According to a 2019 Four Corners story, over 80 Saudi Arabian women attempted to seek refuge in Australia in recent years.

Read more: KSA hides abuses in migrant centers amid arrests campaign

Many of them were escaping Saudi Arabia's male guardianship rules, which empower their spouses, fathers, siblings, uncles, and sons to manage their lives, according to the research.

Numerous human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch have commented on Saudi Arabia's horrendous slate of human rights abuses, from torture reports to murdering journalists and executing dissidents.

Read more: Saudi Arabia carries out mass execution of 81 people

The women were characterized as "timid" in one of the inspections and refused to let anyone into the residence.

However, following protestations from a concerned party, the sisters reluctantly agreed to the check but spent it huddled together in the far corner of the apartment.

As they answered simple questions about their well-being, one sat down and the other cowered behind her.

According to a source, "They were standoffish and didn't really want to talk."

According to a source, the initial check was made by police in March, with authorities departing after the women maintained they were OK.

In a separate incident months ago, the sisters' black car was keyed and hauled away from their residence last week, maybe suggesting an act of vengeance.

In 2018, a similar story surfaced in the United States. Two sisters were found dead in the Hudson River, duct-taped together. The sisters were also seeking asylum in the US from Saudi Arabia.

In 2019, two Saudi sisters escaping Saudi Arabia were left stranded in Hong Kong on their way to Australia. At the time, the sisters stated that they feared for their life.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/miscellaneous/blue-light-spirals-in-new-zealand-bedazzle-stargazers

Blue light spirals in New Zealand bedazzle stargazers

Strange, spiraling light patterns in the night sky of New Zealand baffled and amazed stargazers on Sunday night.

Alasdair Burns, a stargazing guide on Stewart Island/Rakiura, received a text from a buddy at about 7.25 pm, telling him to go outdoors and look at the sky. "As soon as we actually went outside, it was very obvious what it was he was referring to,” Burns recalled.

In the midst of the blackness, he noticed a massive blue spiral of light. “It looked like an enormous spiral galaxy, just hanging there in the sky, and slowly just drifting across,” Burns described, adding that it was “quite an eerie feeling.”

Burns took a couple of long-exposure photos of the lights, capturing the spiral with his phone. “We quickly banged on the doors of all our neighbors to get them out as well. And so there were about five of us, all out on our shared veranda looking up and just kind of, well, freaking out just a little bit.”

People posted images and inquiries about the phenomenon, which was visible from most of the South Island, on the country's stargazing and amateur astronomy social media groups. Theories abound, ranging from UFOs to alien rockets to commercial light shows.

“Premonition from our orbital black hole,” posted one stargazer.

Another commented that it was “aliens at it again."

The truth was probably more mundane, according to Prof Richard Easther, a physicist at Auckland University, who described the occurrence as "weird but easily explained."

He described such clouds as occurring sometimes when a rocket carried a satellite into orbit.

According to Easther, “When the propellant is ejected out the back, you have what’s essentially water and carbon dioxide – that briefly forms a cloud in space that’s illuminated by the sun,” adding that “the geometry of the satellite’s orbit and also the way that we’re sitting relative to the sun – that combination of things was just right to produce these completely wacky looking clouds that were visible from the South Island.”

Easther believes the rocket in issue was the SpaceX Globalstar mission, which was launched into low-Earth orbit off the coast of Florida on Sunday.

Burns suspected the spiral was generated by a rocket after reading about a similar phenomenon in 2009 when a Russian missile launch caused massive blue spirals above Norway. Even knowing the likely source, he said it was a startling sight. “None of us had ever seen anything like that before. It was spectacular.”

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/al-houthi:-saudi-led-coalition-intends-to-starve-yemeni-peop

Al-Houthi: Saudi-led coalition intends to starve Yemeni people

Mohammad Ali Al-Houthi, a senior member of the Yemeni Supreme Political Council, considered Sunday that the Saudi-led coalition is intending to starve the Yemeni people as a weapon of war against Yemen.

In a tweet, Al-Houthi condemned the ongoing naval and air blockade on Yemen, adding that the blockade is a deliberate crime against all Yemenis.

“The continuation of the siege and the Saudi-led coalition’s refusal to implement provisions of the ceasefire, which is an official document under the auspices of the United Nations and the Security Council, amounts to an intentional crime against all Yemeni people,” Al-Houthi affirmed.

Al-Ruwishan: Yemenis will restore their rights by all available means

In the same context, Jalal Al-Ruwishan, Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs, indicated that there is clear evidence that the Saudi-led coalition is continuing its aggression on Yemen in violation of the extended UN-brokered truce.

In an interview for Al-Masirah television, Al-Ruwishan pointed out that the truce would be “meaningless and pointless” if it does not lead to the reopening of Yemeni ports and airports.

The official stressed that Yemenis will restore their rights by all available means, adding that “if the Saudi-led war coalition keeps on violating the ceasefire, the Yemeni nation will not accept a failed truce."

Al-Ruwishan underscored that “our people and armed forces have not tied domestic and defense issues to the truce, and have been not held down by it. They are doubtful about the sincerity of aggressors and forces of aggression.”

He also mentioned that Saudi Arabia and its allies are not abiding by the UN-brokered truce.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/nuclear-russian-subs-conduct-drills-in-barents-sea

Nuclear Russian subs conduct drills in Barents Sea

The nuclear submarine cruisers 'Severodvinsk' and 'Smolensk' fired Kalibr and Granit cruise missiles at dummy targets in the Barents Sea on Sunday, according to the Northern Fleet press office.

According to the Fleet, "The complex target position, imitating a squadron of mock enemy’s landing ships, was successfully hit with Kalibr and Granit missiles at a range of about 200 km."

Submarine personnel performed combined launches, focused on hitting the targets with different cruise missiles that have different speed and flight specifications.

The press office added that "according to objective control, the missile launches were successful. The missiles confirmed its specifications and reliability."

The launches were conducted in line with the fleet training schedule.

On June 3, Russia began a week-long series of drills in which more than 40 ships and up to 20 planes participated.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/china-launches-defensive-anti-missile-tests

China launches defensive anti-missile tests

China conducted a test of "ground-based midcourse anti-missile intercept technology" that "achieved its expected purpose," according to the Chinese Defense Ministry, which described it as defensive and not aimed against any country.

Beijing has already tested missile interceptors; the most recent public declaration of a test was in February 2021, and the one before that was in 2018. According to state media, China has been testing anti-missile defense systems since at least 2010.

As part of President Xi Jinping's modernization plan, China has increased research on all types of missiles, from those that can destroy satellites in orbit to powerful nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.

China and its partner Russia have often expressed their opposition to the United States' deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea.

China said the equipment's strong radar may penetrate into its territory. China and Russia have also conducted mock anti-missile exercises.

Aside from brief announcements by the Defense Ministry or state media, China has provided few specifics about its own missile programs.

In 2016, the Ministry confirmed it was pressing ahead with anti-missile system tests after pictures appeared on state television. According to Beijing, such technology is required for national defense and security.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/kremlin-slams-lithuanias-decision-on-kaliningrad-blockade

Kremlin slams Lithuania's decision on Kaliningrad blockade

Lithuania's move to prohibit rail goods transit to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is unprecedented, according to Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who described it as a "violation of everything."

State-owned Lithuanian Railways halted cargo transit between Russia and its Baltic Sea area on Friday at midnight, citing EU limitations. According to the region's officials, up to 50% of all rail goods to Kaliningrad have been banned.

Earlier on Monday, the local authorities said that commodities prohibited from transiting via Lithuania would be supplied by water. "The decision is truly unprecedented. This is a violation of everything. We understand that this is due to the relevant decision of the European Union to extend sanctions to transit. We also consider this illegal," Peskov told reporters.

The decision to blockade the Kaliningrad region requires extensive research by Moscow before adopting any retaliatory steps, the official said, adding that it will be completed within a few days.

Europe refuses to give Russia turbines under repair for gas crisis - Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov also said that Russia has enough gas and is ready to give it, but Europe has refused to return turbines that are being repaired, calling the present issue "man-made".

"You know that pumping capacities, namely turbines, must undergo major repairs, some turbines cannot be returned, that is, the Europeans will not return them to their place. This is precisely what is the reason for the fact that there is simply nothing to pump over. That is, this is a man-made crisis, it was created by the European Union," Peskov told reporters, adding that Russia has enough gas and is "ready to deliver it."

Kremlin confirms contact between Putin, Lukashenko

Contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, are being planned, according to Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who added that the format will be revealed later.

Earlier this month, Lukashenko stated that he intends to meet with Putin to address the situation in Ukraine shortly.

"We will inform you [about the format[. Indeed, contacts between the two presidents are being prepared," Peskov told reporters.

NATO engaged in ‘direct aggression' against Russia

On his part, Senator Andrey Klimov stated in a Telegram message on Monday that Lithuania is now essentially engaged in "direct aggression" against Russia, citing Vilnius' decision to halt the transit of sanctioned commodities to Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad.

According to the Russian senator who heads a commission for the defense of state sovereignty, Lithuania has breached a pact struck between Moscow and Brussels 20 years ago by refusing to allow specific commodities to transit through its territory to the Russian region.

Klimov claimed that unless the EU pulls its member state to heel and forces it to obey the agreement, a significant question mark would linger over Lithuania's legal basis for membership in the bloc. The Senator stressed that in this case, Moscow would have a free hand to “solve the problem of the Kaliningrad transit created by Lithuania by any means chosen by us.”

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/australia-pm-refrains-from-calling-for-assange-release-china

Australia PM refrains from calling for Assange release, China comments

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese steered clear on Monday from making any public appeal calling for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, an Australian national, following the United Kingdom's decision to extradite him to the United States.

"I've made clear what my position is publicly. I made it clear last year. I stand by my comments that I made then. But I'll make this point as well, that, you know, there are some people who think that if you put things in capital letters on Twitter and put an exclamation mark, then that somehow makes it more important. It doesn't," Albanese said.

He also declared his intention to "lead a government that engages diplomatically and appropriately with our partners." His words came in response to a question at a press conference on whether he had spoken to US President Joe Biden on Assange's extradition.

This step contradicts previous statements Albanese had made, such as one in December when he said the WikiLeaks founder had already "paid a big price" for the publication of the information and saw no reason to further pursue him.

Albanese made it to the premiership in May, months after his statements in support of Assange. Since then, Assange's relatives and supporters have been voicing support for the release of the citizen from prison. This came after the previous government of Scott Morrison had underlined that it would not interfere in Assange's extradition to the US.

The United States is prosecuting Assange over espionage charges after the organization he founded published thousands of classified documents that exposed war crimes committed by US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan during the so-called "war on terror".

Assange is currently on remand at the Belmarsh maximum-security prison in southeast London and has been there since October 2020 after serving an 11-month sentence for breaking bail conditions.

The UK authorities detained him after he sought shelter in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he remained until 2019 over concerns that he could be extradited to the United States.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the US government's request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Friday.

The case was passed to the home secretary last month after the Supreme Court ruled that there were no legal issues with assurances given by US authorities about how he will be treated.

It is worth mentioning that last year, a defense lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange argued Thursday that US promises that Assange would not be subjected to harsh prison conditions if extradited were not enough to address concerns regarding his fragile mental health and high risk of suicide.

Assange's lawyer said the Australian was "too mentally ill" to be extradited to the US in light of his trial on "espionage charges."

US, UK hypocrites on freedom of speech

London's decision to extradite Assange to the US shows the true, hypocritical attitude of London and Washington toward freedom of the press and speech, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday.

"The Assange case is the mirror reflecting the hypocrisy of the US and UK in matters related to press freedom," the diplomat told a press briefing.

Both London and Washington "support" freedom of speech only when it comes to disclosing information about other countries, but severely punish those who disclose information about their own governments, he stressed.

"The whole world is watching Assange's fate and hopes for impartiality and justice to eventually prevail."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/ex-australian-minister-urges-assanges-freedom

Ex-Australian Minister urges Assange's freedom

Former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr demanded on Monday that the US abandon its prosecution of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Last week, Britain's Priti Patel approved the extradition of Assange to the US, causing a global uproar.

Amnesty International warned that the extradition of Assange would put him at great risk and send a chilling message to journalists around the world.

Read more: Assange to fight UK approval of extradition to US

Carr stated in an op-ed for the Sydney Morning Herald that Assange's conviction contrasted sharply with the US pardoning of former military intelligence officer Chelsea Manning, who provided the classified information to Wikileaks.

Carr stated that this was newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's "most potent argument" for Assange's release.

According to Carr, "If Albanese asks, my guess is America will agree."

"Our new prime minister can say: 'We're not fans of the guy either, Mr. President, but it's gone on long enough. We're good allies. Let this one drop.'"

During his campaign, Albanese is reported to have said "enough is enough," adding that he could not "see what purpose is served" by the ongoing saga against Assange.

Australia's previous conservative government did not openly lobby for Assange's release for much of the last decade.

The long-running legal saga began in 2010 after Assange published more than 500,000 documents classified in the US regarding war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Stella Morris, the wife of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, had told ABC radio that the Australian government has discussed the case with its US counterparts.

"My understanding is that the Australian government is raising it and that is extremely welcome news," she stated.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/more-than-200-amhara-killed-in-ethiopia

More than 200 Amharas killed in Ethiopia

Witnesses in Ethiopia stated on Sunday that around 200 ethnic Amhara people were murdered in an attack in the country's Oromia region, accusing a rebel group, which denies it.

This is one of the deadliest such attacks in recent times.

Abdul-Seid Tahir nearly escaped the attack on Saturday and told AP he counted nearly 230 bodies. He cited fears that this may have been "the deadliest attack against civilians we have seen in our lifetime."

“We are burying them in mass graves, and we are still collecting bodies. Federal army units have now arrived, but we fear that the attacks could continue if they leave.”

Another witness, Shambel, who offered only his first name out of concern for his life, claimed the local Amhara population was keen to be transferred "before another round of mass killings happen." He said ethnic Amhara who arrived in the area some 30 years ago as part of resettlement programs were being "killed like chickens."

Both witnesses attributed the assaults to the Oromo Liberation Army. The Oromia regional administration also accused the OLA in a statement, claiming the rebels attacked "after being unable to resist the operations launched by [federal] security forces."

In a message to AP, an OLA spokesperson, Odaa Tarbii, denied the claims stating that “the attack you are referring to was committed by the regime’s military and local militia as they retreated from their camp in Gimbi following our recent offensive."

“They escaped to an area called Tole, where they attacked the local population and destroyed their property as retaliation for their perceived support for the OLA. Our fighters had not even reached that area when the attacks took place.”

Ethiopia is facing extensive ethnic conflicts in numerous regions, the majority of which stem from historical grievances and political difficulties. The Amhara, Ethiopia's second-largest ethnic minority, has been regularly attacked in places such as Oromia.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/mali:-militants-kill-at-least-20-civilians-in-gao-troubled-r

Mali: Militants kill at least 20 civilians in Gao troubled region

Militants in Mali killed at least 20 civilians in attacks on villages near the northern town of Gao over the weekend, while a landmine killed a UN peacekeeper in the troubled region.

A senior police officer said that "criminal terrorists" on Saturday killed at least 20 civilians in several parts of the Anchawadj commune, a few dozen kilometers north of Gao.

A local official attributed the attacks to jihadists and said the death toll reached 24, indicating that the killings occurred at Ebak, some 35 kilometers (23 miles) north of Gao, the region's main town.

The official described a "general panic" in the area, adding that the situation in Anchawadj was "very concerning", and civilians were fleeing the area fearing further violence.

Targeting UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes

Following the bloodshed on Saturday, a landmine killed a UN peacekeeper on Sunday as he was out on patrol further north in Kidal, the head of the UN's MINUSMA Mali force, El Ghassim Wane, tweeted.

The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killing of the peacekeeper, who he said was from Guinea.

"Attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law," the spokesperson pointed out.

Gao region has become increasingly violent and unstable

While there has been no official confirmation that the attacks were carried out by jihadist groups, militants affiliated with either Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group are active in the region.

The region has become increasingly violent and unstable since Tuareg separatist rebels rose up against the government in 2012.

The Tuareg separatists and the government agreed to a peace accord in 2015, but it has yet to be applied.

"A good part of the Gao region and that of Menaka" are occupied by the jihadists, said the official in Gao, stressing that "the state must do something."

Government stability meanwhile has been interrupted by military coups in August 2020 and May 2021.

Following his latest report on the area, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month warned that instability in Mali and Burkina Faso were undermining attempts to stabilize the region.

The security situation in the Gao region had badly deteriorated in recent months, he said, voicing concern over Menaka, the eastern region bordering Niger.

"Flagrant abuses" of national sovereignty

Just last week, French troops were in the process of handing back a military base in northeastern Mali before their final withdrawal from there, according to the French army.

But Wane said that the withdrawal can be trouble for Menaka, saying that the people there "did not rule out an attack" on the town.

In May, the Mali junta decided to withdraw all defense treaties with France, citing "flagrant abuses" of national sovereignty.

Mass graves near a French base

It is noteworthy that Bamako has accused the French military of espionage and sabotage.

Last month, Malian troops found bodies buried next to the former French military base in Gossi.

The French military is scurrying to hide mass graves in Mali that they have been responsible for, according to a member of Mali's National Transitional Council, Aboubacar Sidiki Fomba, told Sputnik.

"The French military lies, fabricates facts, wanting to hide mine wells. If there are mass graves, then they are responsible for them," Sidiki Fomba said.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ecuador-police-requisition-indigenous-center-to-monitor-prot

Ecuador police requisition Indigenous center to monitor protests

Ecuadoran police requisitioned an Indigenous cultural center in Quito on Sunday to use it as a base for monitoring anti-government protests by Indigenous people.

"The national police notified (us of) the requisition of the place, under the state of emergency," the House of Ecuadorian Culture announced.

Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency on Friday in three provinces, including the capital Quito, in a bid to end the demonstrations.

The state of emergency empowers Lasso to mobilize the armed forces to maintain order, suspend civil rights, and declare curfews.

Protests demanding cheaper fuel and food prices

The powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) called for the protests to demand cheaper fuel and food price controls.

The Indigenous community represents more than one million of Ecuador's 17.7 million inhabitants, and their protest has been joined by students, workers, and others.

The demonstrations have blocked roads across the country, including highways leading into Quito.

Oil producer Ecuador has been hit by rising inflation, unemployment, and poverty exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fuel prices have risen sharply since 2020, almost doubling for diesel from $1 to $1.90 per gallon and rising from $1.75 to $2.55 for petrol.

"Joy has died tonight"

The requisition of the House of Ecuadorian Culture - home to theaters, cinemas, a museum, and a library - came on the eve of the arrival of more Indigenous protesters in the capital, where a seven-hour nighttime curfew is in effect.

The center sheltered thousands of Indigenous people in October 2019 during violent demonstrations against rising fuel prices that left 11 dead and more than 1,000 injured.

"National police and soldiers entered" the building and "hundreds of armed elements besieged it," the Ecuadorian House of Culture confirmed in a statement.

"Joy has died tonight, the House of Culture has fallen into the hands of police terror, we live in a dictatorship," Fernando Ceron, president of the cultural center, tweeted on Sunday, posting a copy of the police requisition order.

Talks with the Ecuadoran President have failed to end the demonstrations.

Clashes with security forces during the protests over the past week have left at least 83 people injured and 40 arrested.