In an interview to Russia Today, besieged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has denied that war crimes have been committed by his government forces and instead said he is fighting against “terrorism”.
The Iranian Defence Minister has confirmed that shots were fired at US military drone last week, which they claimed had invaded their airspace.
The confirmation of the incident comes within 24 hours of the Pentagon revealing it to the public, even though the attack happened on the 1st of November, just days before the US Presidential election.
India and Canada came to an agreement on Tuesday, to allow the exportation of Canadian uranium and other nuclear supplies for energy production in India. Almost four decades since India used Canadian nuclear technology to develop its first atomic bomb in 1974, the agreement finally came during an official visit by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper who hopes it will “play a greater role in meeting India’s growing energy needs.”
Newly re-elected US President Barack Obama has announced that he will visit Burma later this month, as part of a tour of South East Asia, making him the first American President to visit the country.
Obama is set to visit both opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Burmese President Thein Sein, when he visits the country from the 17 to 20 November as part of a trip that will see him visit Thailand and Cambodia.
The Bahraini government has revoked the citizenships of 31 human rights activists.
A statement, published by the interoior ministry, said that the activists have “undermined state security” and under Article 10 of Citizenship Law, the “re-evaluation of nationality” was permitted.
Published 06:21 GMT
Barack Obama has won another four years at the White House, after securing 303 votes to Mitt Romney's 203, in an election that was till the last moment too close to call.
Although the margin of victory is unclear as results are still coming through, as soon as Democrats won the key state of Ohio Obama proclaimed victory, having safely secured the needed 270 majority. Seconds after Ohio was called he tweeted to his followers, “This has happened because of you.
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has called upon the Libyan government not to grant amnesty to those accused of war crimes during last year’s uprising against Colonel Gaddafi , regardless of who the perpetrators were.
The Turkish government is to submit a reform to parliament allowing defendants to speak in languages other than Turkish in court.
The ruling has significant implications on Kurdish militants, who have been on hunger strike for 56 days so far, with one of their key demands being the right to speak in Kurdish at trial.
The Haqqani network has been placed on the UN Security Council’s Taliban sanctions list.
The Pakistani network, close to the Taliban and other militant organisations, has been blamed for many high profile attacks, including last year’s attack on the US embassy in Kabul, which killed sixteen Afghans.
A preliminary hearing has begun for US soldier Sgt Robert Bales for the murder of 16 Afghan villagers, mostly women and children, in the Afghan province of Kandahar in March earlier this year.
Sgt Robert Bales faces 16 counts of murder with premeditation, six counts of premeditated attempted murder, six counts of assault, as well as charges of impeding the investigation, use and possession of steroids and the consumption of alcohol, forbidden to US soldiers in Afghanistan, reported the New York Times.
Nine of the dead were children, with 11 of the victims coming from the same family. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
With live video witness testimony from Afghanistan reported to be used during the trial, the Spiegel spoke to one of the deceased’s father Mohammed Wazir, who lost 6 children in the massacre.
He was quoted as saying,
"I do not cry. I have 10 fingers on my hands. Such was my pain that day, as if someone had cut off all 10 of my fingers. I had seven children. Now I am left with one son. It doesn't bring the dead to life if I cry."
"Why didn't the murderer wait for me... Why did he kill my children but not wait for me?"
We want to see this man hang,... I won't speak his name, I don't want to dirty my mouth. I would like to hang him myself. I'll go to America to the Mahkama [court], to the great court, to see him hang. Then my heart will be calm."
