• IS retreat amidst US airstrikes, coalition pledges further support to forces fighting militants

    Oct 15
    Islamic State militants retreated from parts of the Syrian border town of Kobane today for the first time, reports the BBC.

    US officials said that hundreds of IS militants were killed in a barrage of intensified airstrikes today.

    Leaders from the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy agreed to increase support to local forces in Iraq and Syria to aid efforts against IS militants, the British Prime Minister’s office said on Wednesday.

    Infographic: BBC

  • Prominent Shia cleric sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia

    A Saudi court has sentenced prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr to death.

    The cleric was accused by prosecutors of "sowing discord" and "undermining national unity", due to his support for anti-government protests that erupted in the country’s Shia-majority Eastern Province in 2011.

  • Rwandan president accuses BBC of 'genocide denial'
    Rwanda's President Paul Kagame has accused the BBC of “genocide denial” following the airing of a documentary regarding the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

    Speaking to the Rwandan parliament on Tuesday, Kagame stated that the BBC had chosen to "tarnish Rwandans, dehumanise them", reports AFP.

    He went on to state that whilst other genocides such as the Holocaust were never challenged, "but to Africans and Rwandans they do it and then claim freedom of speech".

    The documentary, “Rwanda's Untold Story”, contained allegations that Kagame and his then RPF armed organisation had shot down the Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, sparking the genocide which killed some 800,000 people.

    Kagame's comments come after a group of 38 experts on Rwanda had written to the BBC, stating that they had been “recklessly irresponsible” in promoting “genocide denial”.

  • Putin 'unlikely' to meet Abbott says Kremlin, as Medvedev warns Australian PM
    Vladmir Putin is “unlikely” to meet Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott, said the Kremlin, after Abbott vowed to confront the Russian president over the downing of flight MH17 in Eastern Ukraine.

    The Kremlin's remarks come as Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned that politicians should “choose their words”, after Abbott said he would “shirt-front” Putin at the upcoming G20 summit in Brisbane.

    “Shirt-front” is an Australian Rules football term to aggressively knock an opponent to the floor.

    “If he likes to use sports terms, let him go ahead”, said Medvedev. “Mr Putin is quite adept at sports and they could have forceful debates. That said, serious politicians should choose their words.”

    The Russian president’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said “the Russian government does not intend to respond to Mr Abbott’s colourful language.”

  • Catalan president announces non-binding independence ballot
    The Catalan president Artur Mas announced plans for a non-binding ballot on independence for the region, hours after calling off the proposed referendum on independence, after it was deemed illegal by a constitutional court last month.

    "The vote on 9 November can be considered the preparatory vote before the definitive one," Mas told a press conference on Tuesday.

    “There will be ballots and ballot boxes. We can’t apply the decree [to hold a referendum] but it will be possible to vote,” he said.

    "The Catalan government has jurisdiction over consulting popular opinion," Mas said, adding, "the real adversary is the Spanish state, which has done everything to stop us voting."

  • North, South Korea talks end in stalemate
    Rare high level talks held between military generals from North and South Korea ended in stalemate on Wednesday with both sides failing to reach a breakthrough.

    The two countries agreed to resume talks, after a high-level military delegation from North Korea visited South Korea for the closing ceremony of the Asian Games.

    Kim Min-seok, spokesperson for the South’s Ministry of National Defense, said,
    "The mood of the meeting was sincere as both sides were serious about improving ties, but this was the first meeting (in a while) and there was a difference in view that we were not able to narrow.”
  • UK recognition of Palestine criticised by Israel

    The Israeli government has expressed concerns after the recent parliamentary vote in the UK, which saw the recognition of the Palestinian state.

    Israel said the vote could undermine possibilities for a peaceful solution, by letting Palestinian leaders think they could evade "tough choices".

  • Ebola death toll increases as virus spreads

    The Ebola virus has now claimed 4,477 lives according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    The vast majority of deaths are in West Africa, but the disease has also claimed victims in Europe and the US.

  • UN Secretary General pledges support to Palestinian unity government
    The United Nations Secretary General, pledged support to the Palestinian unity government that was formed between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, during a visit to Gaza on Tuesday, reports Reuters.
  • Turkey denies air base deal as jets bombs PKK
    Turkish officials denied that a deal has been reached which allows the United States use of its air bases, as Turkish F-16 and F-4 carried out air strikes on Kurdish PKK-held areas in the south of the country.
  • South Sudan signs agreement to tackle sexual violence in conflict
    The government of South Sudan has signed a Joint Communique with the United Nations that outlines steps it will take to tackle the issue of sexual violence in conflict.

    The agreement comes as the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, visited the region.
  • Clashes as police clear Hong Kong protestors

    Pro-democracy protestors have been dispersed by police in Hong Kong, using pepper spray and riot gear.

    Hundreds of police officers clashed with the mostly student protestors, who have been demanding democratic reforms.

    The police said its intentions were not aimed to halt the protests, but at opening necessary roads to ease traffic disruptions.

  • Iraqi government backed Shi'a militias are committing war crimes – Amnesty International
    Amnesty International says government backed Shi'a militias in Iraq have been abducting and killing Sunni civilians, without any accountability in its latest news briefing on Monday.

    Militias in Baghdad, Samarra and Kirkuk, have grown in prominence since Islamic State seized large parts of the country reported the non-governmental organisation, with tens of thousands of members reportedly in their ranks.

    “Shi’a militias are ruthlessly targeting Sunni civilians on a sectarian basis under the guise of fighting terrorism, in an apparent bid to punish Sunnis for the rise of the IS and for its heinous crimes,” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser.

    “By failing to hold militias accountable for war crimes and other gross human rights abuses the Iraqi authorities have effectively granted them free rein to go on the rampage against Sunnis. The new Iraqi government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi must act now to rein in the militias and establish the rule of law,” she added.
  • Taliban attack kills 22 in Afghanistan

    At least 22 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed after an ambush on their convoy by Taliban militants in the Sar-e-Pol province, in the north of the country.

    Officials say 22 Taliban fighters died in the ensuing fire fight.

  • Catalan regional government to call off November 9 independence referendum
    The Catalan regional government has called off plans to hold an independence referendum according to Spanish Media reports.

    A Catalan presidential spokesperson said that Artur Mas would be holding a news conference on Tuesday 08:00 GMT, reports the BBC.
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