• German, UK cabinets approve military measures against IS

    Nov 30

    The British cabinet on Tuesday approved airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria, whilst Germany's cabinet approved providing military support to the effort.

    The UK cabinet set out a 12 point plan towards the measures. A debate in the House of Commones is currently underway and a vote is expected at 10:30pm GMT.

    “I will be making the arguments and I hope as many MPs across all parties will support me as possible," the UK prime minister, David cameron said today.

  • Venezuela arrests three in connection with opposition leader killing
    Venezuelan authorities arrested three people on Monday in relation to the assignation of an opposition leader that drew mass international condemnation in the run-up to this weekend’s elections.

    Opposition leaders have placed the blame of the killing on the ruling socialist party.

    Luis Diaz, shot dead at the age of 44, was a candidate for the Democratic Action party in the central Guarico state.
  • Russia announces suspension of visa-free regime with Turkey
    Russia announced on Friday that it will suspend its visa-free regime with Turkey effective January 1, a continuation of retaliation for the downing of a Russian fighter jet by Turkish air forces earlier this week. 

  • Prominent Kurdish lawyer shot dead in Turkey, Kurds protesting death water cannoned
    A prominent Kurdish Lawyer and rights activist was shot in the head and killed in Turkey on Saturday.
    The pro-Kurdish HDP Party called the killing of Tahir Elci a “planned assassination” and urge Kurds to protest against the Turkish state.

    Witness said that Mr Elci was shot after speaking to journalists about a historic Kurdish minoret that had been destroyed.
  • Burundi is at risk of genocide warns US Special Envoy
    The US Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa warned that Burundi is at risk of genocide thought it was “not yet present reality”, amidst ongoing unrest in the country.

    In an interview, Thomas Perriello said that the crime of genocide is a risk, stating, “We have seen very dangerous signals from senior government officials about what makes this conflict more ethnic in nature”.
  • US airstrike against MSF hospital due to 'avoidable human error'
    An investigation into the United States air strike against a MSF (Doctors Without Borders) hospital in Afghanistan last month found the incident was due to "avoidable human error".

    Addressing journalists in Washington on Wednesday, the senior US General John Campbell reiterated the "US forces would never intentionally (strike) a hospital."

    "The report determined that the US strike upon the MSF trauma centre in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, was a direct result of human error, compounded by systems and procedural failures," General Campbell said.

    "US forces directly involved in this incident did not know the target compound was the MSF trauma centre. The medical facility was mis-identified as a target," he added.

  • Russian MPs submit bill to criminalise Armenian genocide denial

    The Russian opposition party has submitted a bill in parliament that will criminalise the denial of the Armenian genocide, carried out by the Ottoman Empire over a century ago.

  • US sanctions business entities helping Syrian government trade
    The US sanctioned a Syrian businessman who it accused of facilitating oil sails between the Islamic State and Syrian government, reports Reuters.
  • Refugees at Greece-Macedonia commence hunger strike

    A group of Iranian refugees at the border between Greece and Macedonia have sewn their lips shut, going on a hunger strike to protest controversial new immigration policies enacted by several Balkan governments.

  • EU backs Western Sahara’s ‘right to self-determination’

    The European Union reiterated its support for a "just, lasting and mutually political solution, which will allow the people of Western Sahara to exercise their right to self-determination".

    The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said the EU "follows closely the human rights situation in Morocco", and added "the EU will take no action that may undermine” the efforts of UN chief Ban Ki-Moon in the region.

  • Turkish forces shoot down Russian aircraft in Syria

    Turkey's forces shot down a Russian Su-24 plane by the border with Syria on Tuesday.

    Turkey, which is a NATO member, stated the plane entered its air space. This has been denied by Moscow.

  • United Nations Special Rapporteur calls Paris attacks a crime against humanity

    United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights denounced the attacks in Paris earlier this month, stating that they “may constitute a crime against humanity”.

  • US urges Russia to focus attacks on Islamic State
    US President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande called on Russia to focus its attacks in Syria on Islamic State militants following the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey’s air force.

    Noting that the United States did not have enough information yet to form conclusions on the incident, the US president said future situations could be avoided if Russia stopped attacking “moderate” Syrian rebels battling the Assad regime.
  • Protesters killed by police in Nepal in ongoing violence over constitution
    Violence over the weekend in Nepal saw the fatal shooting of at least three protestors by police, with many more injured. The protestors belonged to the Madhesi group which is protesting the recently passed constitution.
  • Cooperation with Russia to tackle Islamic State a possibility says US
    US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday that it was possible to broaden cooperation with Russia and Syria in attempts to combat Islamic State militants.

    Stressing that Washington was not under pressure to work with Moscow, Mr Kerry said that under the right circumstances cooperation could read to “constructive possibilities”
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