WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

  Three United Nations (UN) experts called for a full and independent investigation into the killing of three Lebanese journalists by Israel last week, which they described as ‘another attack on press freedom by Israeli forces.’ On March 28, Israeli forces killed Al Mayadeen reporter Fatima Ftouni, her brother and cameraman Mohamed Ftouni, and Al Manar TV reporter Ali Shoeib as they were…

Ukraine opposition signs peace deal with government

Ukraine’s opposition leaders, today, signed an EU-mediated peace deal with president Viktor Yanukovich, in an attempt to resolve the political conflict that had resulted in the loss of dozens of lives.

The deal calls for the following,

-The 2004 constitution will be restored within 48 hours, and a national unity government will be formed within 10 days.

‘The west must act firmly on Ukraine’ - Financial Times editorial

The Financial Times has called on the European Union to put in place a “tough sanctions package” on leading members of the Ukranian government, as EU ministers and foreign policy envoy Catherine Ashton are set to meet later today.

EU looks towards sanctioning Ukraine

A draft ministerial European Union (EU) statement prepared for a meeting on the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, called for ‘targeted measures against individuals, including an arms embargo and a ban on equipment for internal repression.

The draft statement, prepared for a meeting later today, read,

“In light of the deteriorating situation, the EU has decided as a matter of urgency on targeted measures against those responsible for violence and use of excessive force.”

South Sudan truce broken

The ceasefire in South Sudan has been broken after clashes erupted between rebels and government forces in the city of Malakal.

At least 10 people were killed in the fighting outside a UN compound which is currently sheltering civilians from different ethnic group.

Ukrainian president announces truce with the opposition

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych, announced that he had reached a truce with opposition leaders in attempts to stop violence that led to the loss of 26 lives this week.

Yanukovych outlined that negotiations would form the first point of action to end the escalating bloodshed of the last two days

The head of the armed forces, Volodymyr Zamana, was also unexpectedly dismissed by the president earlier today.

Spate of attacks leave over 100 dead in Nigeria

Over 150 people have been reportedly killed in Nigeria this week, after attacks a spate of attacks in the country’s North-East attributed to Islamist organisation Boko Haram.

Man sentenced in Germany’s first Rwandan genocide trial

A former mayor has been handed down a 14 year jail sentence, after being found guilty of aiding genocide in a landmark trial in Germany.

56-year-old Onesphore Rwabukombe was sentenced in a Frankfurt court, after being found guilty of organising a massacre in a church that left as many as 1,200 people dead, during the 1994 genocide.

This is the first time that German courts have sought to tackle suspects accused of taking part in the genocide, that left around 800,000 dead.

Asylum seeker dies in Australian immigration camp

Violence broke out in an Australian immigration detention centre located on a Papua New Guinean (PNG) island today, leaving one asylum seeker dead and 77 injured after 2 consecutive nights of violence.

The injuries allegedly occurred after detainees protested and broke out of the internment camps to face a strong backlash security forces.

Commenting on the events Australian Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison said,

UN panel recommend ICC prosecution against North-Korean leadership

North Korea’s leadership commits systematic and appalling human rights abuses on scales unparalleled in the modern world and crimes against humanity resembling those committed by the Nazis, a United Nations inquiry concluded today.

The report recommended that the UN refer the situation in North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The inquiry collected evidence from, over 320 people, including people that had escaped the country, and found that many of the crimes against humanity stem from state policies.

EU to increase peace-keeping troop presence in CAR

Several countries in the EU will deploy troops to the Central African Republic next month, to aid in the restoration of peace in the escalating ethnic violence.

Outlining France's intention to add to the 2000 troops already in the region, a French official, Thierry Repentin, told French media,

“In March, in a few weeks, there will be in Central African Republic several hundred troops coming from several countries in the European Union. "