• Agreement reached on Scottish independence referendum

    The Scottish government has struck a deal with Westminster that will allow an independence referendum to take place in the near future.

    The “Section 30” order, due to be formally announced on Monday, will transfer power from Westminster to Holyrood, Scotland, and will include an agreement for a single ‘yes or ‘no’ question on independence to take place before 2014.

  • British envoy to meet BJP's Modi after 10 years

    For the first time in ten years, a British envoy will meet with the BJP's Narendra Modi, under the instructions of the British foreign minister for India, Hugo Swire.

  • Royal Marines arrested on Afghanistan murder charge

    Seven Royal Marines have been arrested after information emerged that an insurgent was murdered.

    A fellow soldier claimed that the insurgent was killed by British troops in a way that broke the army’s strict rules of engagement.

  • US slams ‘morally bankrupt’ Russia over Syria

    The United States has criticised the Russian government as “morally bankrupt” after a plane travelling to Syria was seized by Turkish authorities, who claimed Russian military equipment was on board en route to the Syrian regime.

  • Syrian passenger plane held by Turkey

    A Syrian passenger plane that departed from Moscow has been forced to land in Ankara after Turkish fighter jets intercepted it and escorted the Syrian Air flight to Esenboga airport.

    Turkish authorities stopped the plane over suspicions that it carried military equipment.

    Officials claimed “illegal cargo” was discovered on the plane and it had been confiscated.

  • Possible crimes against humanity in Nigeria – HRW
    Human Rights Watch (HRW) have released a detailed report on activities that could amount to crimes against humanity in during violence between Boko Haram militants and government forces in Nigeria in 2009.

    The report, which is based on field research between July 2010 and July 2012, details allegations of systematic murder and persecution by the Islamist militia Boko Haram, as well as numerous abuses such as extrajudicial killings by government security forces.

    Boko Haram, which translates as ‘Western education is a sin’, want to impose strict Sharia law in northern Nigeria, and focus their attacks on police, government security agents and Christians as well as Muslims accused of cooperating with the government.

    HRW claims that poverty, corruption, police abuse and impunity has made Nigeria an ideal breeding ground for violent militancy.

    Africa director at HRW, Daniel Bekele said,
    “The unlawful killing by both Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces only grows worse; both sides need to halt this downward spiral. Nigeria’s government should swiftly bring to justice the Boko Haram members and security agents who have committed these serious crimes.”
  • Increase in eviction in China - AI
    Through a collective effort from the local government and private sector, poor and working class people from China are increasingly being evicted from their homes, stated a report released on Thursday by Amnesty International.
  • Slovakia affirms Armenian genocide recognition
    Slovakia has reaffirmed its recognition of the Armenian genocide, stating that denial of it was punishable under by law.

    The remarks came as Chairman of the Slovakian Supreme Court Štefan Harabin visited the Armenian genocide memorial and museum, where he stated,
  • Agreement on Scottish independence referendum imminent

    An agreement on the rules for a referendum on Scottish independence is in its final stages and almost ready to be signed by Alex Salmond of the SNP and the British Prime Minister David Cameron.

    A Scottish government spokesperson said:

  • NATO ready to defend Turkey

    Nato’s secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Tuesday that the alliance is ready to defend Turkey against any aggression from Syria, after a week of clashes between the neighbours.

    Rasmussen spoke to reporters ahead of a Nato defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels, and said,

  • Serbian President denies Srebrenica genocide
    The President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic, has told reporters that genocide did not take place in Srebrenica, as the EU has urged the country to reconcile with and recognise Kosovo.

    Talking to Italian media ahead of a trip to the country, Nikolic reportedly stated,
    "Genocide did not take place in Srebrenica. This is about individual guilt of members of the Serb people. The Serbian parliament condemned this crime, but did not say it was genocide.

    No Serb recognizes that genocide took place in Srebrenica, and I am no different."

    His comments come as the European Union released their annual report on countries looking to join the EU, calling on Serbia to do more if they wanted to achieve member status.

    The report called on Serbia to reconcile with Kosovo, "while respecting the territorial integrity of Kosovo and the particular needs of the local population".

    However, the Serbian President stated,
    "Europe can ask anything except that we renounce Kosovo... In case it was necessary to renounce Kosovo, then it's more acceptable to us to forget about Europe (EU).
  • Violations of the right to a fair trial double in EU in 5 years

    According to an independent analysis of criminal justice in the European Union, carried out by the London based organisation Fair Trials International, the abuses of Human rights in EU based criminal trials has doubled in the past five years.

  • ICC holds Saif Gaddafi hearing

    The International Criminal Court is considering the venue of Saif al-Islam’s trial at a public hearing in The Hague.

    Libya wants to try Gaddafi in the country and lawyer Ahmed al-Jehani told the hearing that patience was needed as it will take the authorities some time to organise a fair trial.

  • Schoolgirl activist shot by Taliban – Pakistan

    A 14-year-old Pakistani rights activist, Malala Yousafzai, was shot and injured in the Swat Valley in Pakistan.

  • Northern Nigerian Christians seek 2015 presidency

    A group of Northern Christian leaders - the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NORSEF) demanded that the 2015 presidency be allocated to a Christian, citing marginalisation, reported The Guardian Nigeria.

    The NORSEF chairman, Mathew Owojaiye and Secretary Illiya Yusuf said that Northern Christians would protest against Muslim politicians putting themselves forward for the contest.

    In a statement, NORSEF said:

    “The Federal Government must understand that Christian leaders are being put in a very difficult position. Why must we keep apologising to our people on behalf of the Federal Government? Why must we keep telling our people to be calm in the face of such provocations, slaughter and terrorist acts? Why is the Federal Government making us cowards, inactive and incapable leaders to protect our people and fight for their interest? Our youths are becoming restless and furious. We urge the Federal Government to show that they are truly in control. This nation is fast becoming a failed state”.

    Owojaiye said:

    “We the Christians boldly affirm that the next person to be president of this country from the north must be a Christian”

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