• UK to re-open embassy in Iran

    Aug 19
    Britain’s foreign secretary, Philip Hammond will formally reopen the UK embassy in Tehran on Sunday, a senior government source said.

    The embassy was closed in 2011 after, it was stormed by demonstrations against sanctions imposed by the UK.
  • ICC re-opens investigation into Kenya’s failure to comply with Kenyatta investigation
    On Wednesday an Appeals Court of the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered that trial judges re-visit allegations that Kenya obstructed investigations into President Uhuru Kenyatta. Mr.
  • Myanmar parliament approves bills restricting religious conversions
    Myanmar's parliament this week approved a bill restricting religious conversations, reports Irrawaddy.

    The bill which is the last of four bills called the 'Race and Religion Protection Bills" was tabled by the Buddhist nationalist group, Ma Ba Tha in 2013, and subsequently taken forward to parliament at the end of last year.

    The legislation, was discussed along side a monogamy bill, will place restrictions on interfaith marriages, introduce legal procedures for religious conversions and grant local government to rate the number of children couples could have.

  • Guatemala dictator's genocide trial delayed after dementia diagnosis
    The genocide trial of the former Guatemala dictator, Efrain Rios Montt, was suspended on Tuesday, after the court, which was deciding whether Mr Montt was fit to stand trial, suffered from dementia, reports AFP.

    The decision has been postponed until August 25, the judge, Maria Eugenia said on Wednesday.

  • South Sudan president tells Kerry he intends to sign peace deal
    South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir told the US Secretary of State John Kerry that he had "every intention" of signing a peace deal to end the conflict which began in December 2013, a US State Department spokesperson said.

    "President Kiir assured the secretary that he has every intention of signing the peace agreement," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Reuters.

    "He said he needed a couple of more days of consultations but he made it very clear it was his intention to sign, which is encouraging," he added.

  • Mexico convicts security force member for enforced disappearance in milestone case

    Mexico’s court sentenced a soldier responsible for forced disappearances to prison, in a milestone case that was the first time a government solider had been found guilty for the disappearance of a civilian.

  • UN Security Council finally speaks on Syria
    After four years of disagreement about what to say, the UN Security Council finally adopted a statement on the conflict in Syria.
     
    The statement read by the Council President on Monday said:
  • Syrian airstrikes kill more civilians, UN official ‘horrified’
    Syrian government jets reportedly carried out further airstrikes that hit civilian targets, just hours after a UN official condemned an air raid that killed as many as 100 people on Sunday.

    The UN's humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said attacks on civilians were "unlawful, unacceptable and must stop", stating he was "particularly appalled" by an air raid in Douma on Sunday.

    However, Douma was reportedly struck by air strikes again on Monday.

    Sunday’s attack also faced condemnation from the United States with State Department spokesman John Kirby saying they “demonstrate the regime’s disregard for human life”. “As we have said, Assad has no legitimacy to lead the Syrian people,” he said, adding the United States supported a “political transition away from Assad that brings an end to such attacks and leads to a future that fulfils Syrians’ aspirations for freedom and dignity”.
  • Bomb blast in Bangkok kills at least 19

    At least 19 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a bomb blast at a shrine in Thailand’s capital Bangkok.

  • Egypt passes anti-terror laws on 'false' reporting

    Egypt imposed strict anti-terror laws that could strip journalists of employment for “false” reporting on militant attacks, reports The Guardian.

  • Syrian government airstrikes kill 82 people
    Syrian activists condemned airstrikes reportedly carried out by the government, which killed 82 people in Douma, near Damascus.

    The airstrikes were condemned as “an official massacre that was carried out deliberately,” by Rami Abdurrahman the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
  • Temporary ceasefire in Syria fails
    A temporary ceasefire between the Syrian army and insurgent armed groups ended on Saturday after talks between both sides failed to reach an agreement, reports Reuters.

    The ceasefire, which began on Wednesday, was set up with the support of Turkey and Iran.

    According to the news agency, the insurgent group representing the coalition of groups, said the talks had failed and that they would resume the fighting. See more here.

  • East Africa bloc assists South Sudan to secure peace deal amidst sanctions threat
    East African leaders gathered in Ethiopia’s capital in final efforts to achieve a peace deal between conflicting sides in South Sudan’s 20 month civil war, reports Reuters.
  • Congolese court charges 34 with genocide
    A Congolese court charged 34 people on Friday with genocide and crimes against humanity for their role ethnic violence between the Luba and Twa communities over the past two years.

    The landmark case, which involves the bringing of charges by a Congolese civilian court, follows a law passed in 2013 which allowed for civilian courts to hear crimes such as genocide.

  • US Secretary of State re-opens embassy in Cuba
    John Kerry, the first US Secretary of State to visit Cuba in over 70 years to re-opened the US embassy in Havana after over 50 years of closure.

    Mr Kerry described the hoisting of the US flag as a “historic moment” speaking during the ceremony in Friday.

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