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…

Xinjiang violence leaves 15 dead

An attack in China's restive Xinjiang province has left at least 15 people dead, according to China's official news agency.

Xinhua reported that the assailants used explosives and knives to attack civilians and that 11 of the dead were attackers.

Croatian PM cancels Belgrade trip over war crimes suspect release

Croatia's prime minister Zoran Milanovic has cancelled a planned trip to Serbia, protesting Belgrade's failure to distance itself from comments made by Serbian nationalist leader who was recently released from a UN war crimes tribunal.

Egyptian security forces kill opposition demonstrators

At least four protesters have been killed and scores of others injured as Egyptian security forces opened fire on thousands of demonstrators protesting against the government of President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, reports Aljazeera.

The protests, which were led by the opposition Salafist Front in Cairo, were the first mass demonstrations after months of quiet, after the Salafist Front called for an uprising to “topple military rule in Egypt.”

France to recognise Palestine as independent state if negotiations with Israel fail

France warned that it would recognise a Palestine state if the final international effort for peace talks between Israel and Palestine failed whilst proposing a two-year negotiation time frame to end the conflict through a UN backed resolution.

“If this final effort to reach a negotiated solution fails, then France will have to do what it takes by recognising without delay the Palestinian state. We are ready,” said the foreign minister, Luarent Fabius on Friday.

Many killed in suspected roadside bomb in Nigeria

An explosion, suspected to have been caused by a roadside bomb, has killed at least 25 people in Nigeria.

The deaths, near the town of Mubi in Adamawa state, included 5 soldiers, according to a government spokesperson.

Mubi was recaptured from Boko Haram militants by the Nigerian military this week and the army has now imposed a 24 hour curfew.

5 dead in attack on British embassy in Kabul

Five people have been killed in an attack on the British embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Thursday in a suicide bombing, reports Reuters.

One Briton is believed to be among the dead, whilst 33 people were injured.

"I can confirm it was a British vehicle and there are some injuries. We are working with the Afghan authorities," a British embassy spokesperson told the news agency on condition of anonymity.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it had "targeted foreign invading forces".

British High Court confirms Egyptian cabinet can be investigated for war crimes

British police are free to investigate members of the Egyptian cabinet for war crimes confirmed the UK High Court on Thursday, after ruling that they were not immune from investigation.

The UK Crown Prosecution Service agreed to inform the Metropolitan Police that “issues of immunity do not preclude investigations into allegations against persons still in office, irrespective of their function, for the purpose of future prosecution”.

Student leaders arrested as police clamp down on Hong Kong protests

Hong Kong police, on Wednesday, moved in to clear one of the largest protest sites in the occupy movement and faced several clashes with pro-democracy activists that continued to stream into cleared areas.

Several student leaders were arrested, including Joshua Wong and Lester Shum, reports the BBC.

Police used pepper spray and batons against demonstrators, whilst arresting individuals that resisted the police.

US drone strikes kill 5 militants in Pakistan

A US drone strike in Pakistan killed 5 militants, a government official said on Wednesday.

The US drone strike hit a house used by militants, near the Afghan border, as the Pakistani military intensified their own airstrikes in an offensive against Taliban militants.

The Pakistani government condemned the US strike as an infringement of Pakistani sovereignty.

“The Government of Pakistan condemns the drone strike that took place in the early hours of Wednesday, 26 November 2014 at Garga, north Shawal in North Wziristan Agency,” the government said in a statement.

Catalan parties to unite in 18 month plan for independence

Catalonia’s leader Artur Mas, outlined a plan to create a Catalan state within 18 months, by uniting the region's politicians, reports Reuters.

Catalonia’s two main parties, on Wednesday, came close to agreeing on a decision to call for regional elections that could be used as a proxy for a referendum on independence from Spain, by the parties uniting on a common election platform.

The leader of Catalonia’s second-biggest party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), welcomed Mas’ plan as a “good starting point.”

“We need to seek formulas that add up between all the political forces that want to move towards independence,” said Oriol Junqueras.