Egypt’s Vice President, Mahmoud Mekki, announced his resignation today as the country completes its voting process on the controversial referendum on a draft constitution. Mahmoud Mekki, appointed in August, said the Vice President role did not suit his background as a judge. Though President Mursi has said the referendum on the constitution will secure democracy, opponents argue the document betrays the revolution that overthrew Mubarak last year. Explaining his resignation Mekki said, “I realised a while ago that the nature of politics does not suit my professional background as a judge.”...
Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, made clear today that Moscow would not mediate on behalf of countries offering Bashar al-Assad asylum, in a push to make him quit Syria. Speaking to journalists, Lavrov said : “Some countries in the region have turned to us and suggested, ‘Tell Assad we are ready to fix him up. And we answered, ‘What do we have to do with it? If you have such plans, approach him directly.’ ” “If there are people wishing to give him some kind of guarantees, be our guest. We will be the first to cross ourselves and say, ‘Thank God, the carnage is over.’ Whether this...
Talks between Farc and Colombia have made progress said both sides prior to the Christmas break. In a statement, the government's lead negotiator, Humberto de la Calle said , "Since November 19 when we formally began, we've had 21 sessions and more than 100 hours of intense work, and concrete advances, all as expected." Asserting that the government hoped Farc could be transformed into a political organisation, De La Calle said, "They don't have to abandon their ideology and the government does not have to change its model of society," "We are not negotiating the development model of Colombia...
Renewed clashes between rival communities in Kenya's Tana river region have killed at least 39 people. While some say the latest attack by Pokomo farmers on the Orma village of Kipao was political, police have claimed that it was a retaliation for the killing of over 100 villagers earlier this year. Police say that although houses were burnt and villagers cut down with machetes, there were casualties on both sides, as the Orma villagers seemed prepared. See here for full report on BBC.
South Sudan’s armed forces have admitted to shooting down a United Nations helicopter killing all four crew members, earlier on Friday. South Sudanese army spokesperson Philip Aguer stated that one of their artillery units had spotted the aircraft, suspecting that it would resupply rebels led by David Yau Yau. Aguer said, "We regret the incident," "The artillery unit unfortunately fired on the plane [believing] that this is an enemy plane because there was no prior information from the UN about this plane being in the area," "We saw a white plane landing and asked UNMISS whether they had any...
The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide has released a statement warning of a risk of growing sectarian violence in Syria, as violence continues in the country. In a statement expressing concern that religious or ethnic groups may be increasingly targeted, Adama Dieng said, “I am deeply concerned that entire communities risk paying the price for crimes committed by the Syrian Government,” “As the situation in Syria deteriorates further, there is a growing risk that civilian communities, including Alawite and other minorities perceived to be associated with the...
An Israeli-Arab MP, Haneen Zoabi, has been barred from re-election by Israel's electoral authority on Wednesday, citing her presence on the Gaza flotilla in May 2010. Claiming that she was "negating Israel's existence as a Jewish state" and that her actions illustrate "support for an enemy state or terrorist organisation", Israel's Central Elections Committee voted 19 to 9 in favour of blocking Zoabi's candidacy for the general election in January 2013. One member abstained.
The UN’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has jailed one of the key organisers of the Rwandan genocide to 35 years behind bars. The last trial by the ICTR saw Augustin Ngirabatware convicted of genocide, incitement to commit genocide and rape as a crime against humanity. "For these crimes the court sentences you to 35 years in prison," Judge William Hussein Sekule told the former government minister. Ngirabatware was put on trial at the court in Tanzania, after his arrest in Germany in 2007. Over 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed during a hundred days of...
US soldier Robert Bales could face the death penalty, if he is found guilty of the murder of 16 Afghan civilians, the US Army says. Sgt Bales is accused of committing the killings In Kandahar province on March 11 this year. According to prosecutors, Sgt Bales left his base and went into a nearby village, entering a house and shooting 22 civilians, mostly women and children. A total of 16 were killed.
The United Nations Security Council on Thursday authorised a military intervention led by African states to help defeat Islamist militants in northern Mali. The resolution, drafted by France, authorises the deployment of an African-led intervention force to be known as AFISMA, for an initial period of one year. The resolution also authorised the EU and other UN member states to help rebuild national security forces in Mali. Up to 3300 troops are expected to make up AFISMA which will assist Malian security forces "in recovering the areas in the north of its territory under the control of...