MIK NEWS

US-backed forces capture Tabqa airbase from ISIL SDF take military airport from ISIL in northern Syria, close to country's largest dam that may be in danger of collapse. A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters has captured a strategic airbase from  ISIL  in northern Syria in the first major victory for the group since the US airlifted the forces behind enemy lines last week.  The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday that they captured the Tabqa airbase, 45km west of Raqqa, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group's de facto capital in Syria. SDF forces were also battling for the nearby Tabqa dam, held by ISIL, which was forced out of service on Sunday after its power station was damaged. Earlier this week, US forces airlifted SDF fighters behind ISIL lines to allow them to launch the Tabqa assault, and on Friday the alliance reached one of the dam's entrances. SDF forces were within 10km of Raqqa fro...

Prosecutors seek arrest of ex-president Park Geun-hye Former president accused of bribery, leaking government information, and abuse of power, in scandal brought her down. South Korean prosecutors have sought an arrest warrant for impeached President  Park Geun-hye , they said, days after questioning her over the  corruption  and abuse of power scandal that brought her down. Park, 65, had her removal from office confirmed by the country's top court earlier this month, ending her executive immunity, and her prosecution has been a key demand of the millions of people who took to the streets to protest against her. The former president is accused of multiple offences including bribery, leaking government information, and abuse of power in the scandal.

Mass graves in Ireland: A long history of Church abuse When infant remains were found in a former home for unwed mothers last month, it didn't come as a surprise to everyone. When human remains were discovered in a septic tank in Tuam, in western Ireland, last month it didn't come as a complete surprise to everyone. The unearthing at the site - a former home for unmarried mothers - was the result of a government commission charged with investigating claims of abuse by religious orders. Excavations uncovered an underground structure where human remains were found.  Local historian Catherine Corless had initially uncovered details of a mass grave at the home run by the Catholic Church affiliated Bons Secours, where, according to her, up to 800 infants born to unmarried mothers had been unofficially buried in a disused sewage tank. But a 2014  email  sent by Bons Secours' PR representative Terry Prone to filmmaker Saskia Weber dismissed the need for an investi...

UK targets WhatsApp encryption after London attack Minister Amber Rudd calls messaging encryption 'unacceptable', says security services must have access to that content. The British government has said its security services must have access to encrypted messaging applications such as WhatsApp to prevent violent crimes. UK media reports have suggested that the man behind an  attack in London  last week sent an encrypted  WhatsApp  message moments before killing four people by ploughing his car into pedestrians and fatally stabbing a policeman. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said on Sunday it was "completely unacceptable" that police and security services had not been able to crack the heavily encrypted service. "You can't have a situation where you have terrorists talking to each other - where this terrorist sent a WhatsApp message - and it can't be accessed,"

Gaza-Israel border shut after Mazen Faqha killing Hamas closes northern Gaza crossing 'until further notice', as it reflects on Mazen Faqha's killing, blamed on Israel. Hamas authorities have shut the Gaza border with Israel after the killing of a senior commander, which Hamas blamed on "Israel and its collaborators". The rare measure reflected Hamas' shock after the killing of  Mazen Faqha  , who was found shot dead at the entrance of his Gaza City home late on Friday. Hamas Interior Ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozum on Sunday  announced   (Arabic) that the Beit Hanoun checkpoint, which faces the Israeli crossing of Erez in the north of the Gaza Strip, would be closed until further notice. "In light of the humanitarian situation, only the residents of Gaza with humanitarian cases will be allowed to return to Gaza via the Beit Hanoun checkpoint," Bozum said. Bozum confirmed that Hamas security services were investigating the circums...

Coalition says it hit Mosul site where civilians died Coalition says it struck area in west Mosul where officials say scores of civilians were killed by aerial bombardment. The US-led coalition bombing ISIL positions in Iraq has admitted that it carried out air raids last week at a location in west Mosul where officials and residents say scores of civilians were killed. The acknowledgement on Saturday came hours after the United Nations said it was "stunned" by the reported deaths of civilians in suspected coalition air raids in Mosul's ISIL-held al-Jadida district on March 17. "An initial review of strike data ... indicates that the coalition struck (ISIL) fighters and equipment, March 17, in west Mosul at the location corresponding to allegations of civilian casualties," the US military's Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement on Saturday. The coalition said it had struck the area "at the request of the Iraqi security forces...

Nicolas Maduro seeks UN help to ease medicine shortages President Maduro asks for support to 'treat economic and social injuries' as country suffers severe medicine shortages. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has asked the United Nations for "help" boosting medicine supplies as he struggles to combat crippling shortages. "I've asked for support from the UN to help treat economic and social injuries that have hit our people caused by the economic war and the sharp fall in petroleum prices," Maduro said in a televised appearance on Friday. He did not provide any details about the request except to say that the UN has the expertise to normalise the supply and distribution of pharmaceutical drugs in the country. But just acknowledging that Venezuela needs outside help is a telling sign of how deep in crisis the country,  sitting atop the world's largest petroleum reserve, has fallen. The country is  suffering from triple-digit in...