On Saturday Lakhdar Brahimi, the newly appointed UN envoy to Syria held his first meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, hoping to find a political solution to the ongoing conflict. Brahimi, a veteran Algerian diplomat, had previously described the mission as “nearly impossible”, particularly since UN observers on the ground were pulled out last month after facing attacks. Speaking to reporters afterwards Brahimi said , “I repeat…. I have no plan." “we, however, will set the plan that we will follow after listening to all internal, regional and international parties, hoping that such...
More than 50 cities in China saw massive anti-Japan protests carry on for a second day, with the Japanese embassy and several Japanese businesses coming under attack. Protestors in Beijing pelted the Japanese embassy with eggs and bottles as riot police held back crowds from storming the building. Protestors shouted slogans such as, "Return our islands! Japanese devils get out!" and held signs that read, "For the respect of the motherland, we must go to war with Japan." The protests prompted US Defence Secretary to comment, "I am concerned that when these countries engage in provocations of...
Norwegian authorities have announced that they will try a Rwandan man for his role in the 1994 genocide, at a court in Oslo, the first time such a case will be tried in Norway. Sadi Bugingo was arrested by Norwegian authorities in 2002 in the city of Bergen after being wanted by Rwandan authorities. Prosecutor Petter Mandt stated that he wanted to show Norway would not be a haven for such criminals, commenting , "It's the first time that we are prosecuting someone for genocide… From that point of view it is a very unusual affair." Bugingo faces a maximum jail term of 21 years. He is the...
An opposition MP and critic of President Putin, Gennady Gudkov, was expelled from the Kremlin on Friday, for allegedly breaching the rules on business affairs. Gudkov, a member of the opposition Fair Russia Party, is a former KGB colonel, and the first member of parliament to be expelled in 17 years. His expulsion leaves him at risk of arrest for previous crimes, having now lost his diplomatic immunity. The expulsion came as thousands took the streets once again, shouting "Russia without Putin". See here for more.
Amnesty International called on Egypt to arrest Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, when he arrives in Cairo on Sunday. Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide charges, is due to meet the new Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi during a two day visit. In a statement, Marek Marczyński of Amnesty International, said : “If Egypt welcomes Omar al-Bashir it will become a safe haven for alleged perpetrators of genocide,” “Egypt should not allow Omar al-Bashir to enter its territory, and must arrest him if he arrives.” “In his first address, President Morsy said that...
The US State Department has ordered the withdrawal of all non-essential diplomatic staff and their families from Tunisia and Sudan. Embassies in both countries have been attacked in recent days, during protests over an anti-Islam film produced in the US. In a statement the State Department said it “urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the Darfur region of Sudan, the Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan States,” and that it advises citizens to “consider carefully the risks of travel in other areas of Sudan.” The Sudanese government earlier refused permission for the arrival of US marines to...
Chinese boats entered disputed waters between China and Japan on Thursday, as the row over a set of islands claimed by both nations continues to worsen. Six ships were sent by China to the contested area, with the Chinese foreign ministry stating , "These law enforcement and patrol activities are aimed to demonstrate China's jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islets and ensure the country's maritime interests." The move was labelled as “unprecedented” by Japan’s ," Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura, with Tokyo summoning the Chinese ambassador to register their...
The protests over the obscure movie about Mohammad have escalated around the world. Three protestors died after thousands of people attacked the US embassy in Khartoum, according to Sudanese state radio. The mob initially attacked the German embassy and set fire to it, causing severe damage. The British embassy nearby also saw protests but was not damaged. Germany and the UK have no link to the film. "I condemn in the strongest possible terms today's attack and call on the Sudanese authorities to ensure that those involved are brought to justice," said UK Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Over a dozen peaceful reform activists have been arrested in Jordan over the past week says Human Rights Watch (HRW). The wave of arrests indicates a reinforcement of intolerance towards calls for political demands in the kingdom. At least seventeen activists and peaceful protesters have been arrested across the country and remain in detention under terrorism charges. Senior Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch, Christoph Wilcke said: “The arrests show how shallow promises of political freedoms in Jordan are. It is deeply worrying that Jordan is using laws against terrorism to...
US President Barack Obama has said that the US does not consider Egypt to be an ally nor an enemy. His comments came after clashes and demonstrations outside US consulates across the Middle East, which spread after a movie that was deemed blasphemous by some was made in the US. "I don't think we would consider them an ally, but we don't consider them an enemy. They are a new government that is trying to find its way," Mr Obama said in a television interview with Telemundo .