WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

  Three United Nations (UN) experts called for a full and independent investigation into the killing of three Lebanese journalists by Israel last week, which they described as ‘another attack on press freedom by Israeli forces.’ On March 28, Israeli forces killed Al Mayadeen reporter Fatima Ftouni, her brother and cameraman Mohamed Ftouni, and Al Manar TV reporter Ali Shoeib as they were…

Outcry following Philippines Internet freedom law

Outcry has erupted in the Philippines over a recently passed internet freedom law that exposes users to prosecution related to libel.

The new law deems that even posts on social networking sites that have been deemed libellous can be taken to court, curbing freedom of expression.

Harry S. Roque, president of Media Defense South East Asiaamd law professor at the University of Philippines commented,

Mau Mau victims win right to claim against UK govt

The high court in London has ruled that three Kenyans can proceed in their legal claims against the UK government for alleged torture during the Mau Mau uprising in 1950s. 

In his ruling, the judge Justice McCoombe said: "A fair trial for the Kenyans on this part of the case does remain possible and the evidence on both sides does remain significantly cogent for the court to complete its task satisfactorily."

The UK government has said although it acknowledges that detainees were tortured under the colonial administration, it does not accept liability and will appeal. 

Colombia-Farc peace talks start Oct 17

Peace talks between the Colombian government and Farc will commence in Oslo on 15th October, with a joint news conference on 17th October.

Last week, the Colombian President Juan Manueal Santos, said he was "cautiously optimistic" that a peace deal could be reached.

Peacekeepers killed in Darfur

Four Nigerian peacekeepers were killed in an ambush in Darfur.

Eight more soldiers, from the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission Unamid, were injured when their convoy was attacked on Tuesday.

"They were providing administrative and logistic support and they were moving from one of our camps to the other," said the spokesperson for Unamid, Chris Cycmanick.

Srebrenica elections ‘final step in genocide’ warn Muslims

Muslims from the town of Srebrenica have warned that the upcoming local elections could represent the “final step of a genocide” if Bosnian Serb candidates were to win.

The town, infamous for its massacre of 8,000 young Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces in 1995, has seen many Muslims stripped of their voting rights this year after complex voting laws were enforced.

The move has sparked fears that a Serb majority would allow a Bosnian Serb candidate to succeed, reported Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

Syrian refugee numbers tripled since June

The number of Syrian refugees fleeing into neighboring countries has doubled since June to 300,000, said the UN Refugee Agency, warning that the number was likely to double again by the end of the year.

The spokesperson for UNHCR Adrian Edwards said,

“The latest figures show a total registered population of more than 311,500 Syrian refugees in the four countries (Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.”

Chinese company sues Obama

A Chinese firm has initiated legal action against US President Barak Obama, after he issued a presidential order, blocking the construction of wind farms on land owned by the firm.

Ralls Corp bought land near US navy facilities in the state of Oregon and planned to build wind farms.

However Obama blocked the construction and ordered the company to dismantle their facilities and sell the land.

Court clears Serb policemen of war crimes

A war crimes court in Bosnia has acquitted 2 Serbian policeman accused of committing war crimes by participating in the infamous 1995 Srebrenica massacre.

Prosecutors alleged that Dragan Neskovic and Zoran Ilic were guilt of crimes against humanity by rounding up Muslim men and boys, then executing them. However, judges doubted the credibility of witness statements and deemed some of them to be contradictory.

Over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were executed in Srebrenica in July 1995 by Bosnian Serb forces.

Georgia election welcomed worldwide

The US, Russia and the European Union, welcomed Georgia's election result on Monday, which has seen the country's first democratic transfer of power from the President Mikheil Saakashvili to the opposition leader, Bidzine Ivanishvili.

In a statement the White House described it as "another milestone in Georgia's democratic development", whilst the EU said the results showed Georgia had "a healthy respect for fundamental freedoms".

Burma urged to uphold protesters rights

Human Rights Watch urged the Burmese government to drop charges against activists, following their peaceful demonstrations on International Peace Day on September 21.

Over a dozen protesters face charges for violating the governments public assembly law, following the organisation of a march, consisting of over 1000 people, calling for peace in the conflict ridden Kachin state.