WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

UN experts demand investigation following Israel’s killing of Lebanese journalists
  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…

Thousands demonstrate in Hong Kong as Occupy Central launches protest

Sep 27, 2014
Thousands of protestors took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday as pro-democracy group Occupy Central launched a mass disobedience campaign outside government headquarters.

Over 30,000 people reportedly attended the protest around Hong Kong government offices as police cordoned off the area, using pepper spray and tear gas against demonstrators.

US led coalition carries out airstrikes on Islamic State oil refineries

Sep 27, 2014
A coalition of air-forces, led by the US, bombed four oil refineries under Islamic State control in Iraq, reports the BBC.

The airstrikes came as fighting continued on the town of Kobane that borders Turkey.

The US president, earlier today, said that US intelligence had underestimated the extent in which the political chaos in Syria would allow extremist groups such as Islamic State to thrive.

Defending the British parliamentary decision  to carry out airstrikes on Islamic state positions in Iraq, David Cameron, earlier today, said,

CAR calls for loosening of arms embargo

Sep 27, 2014
The interim president of the Central African Republic (CAR), in her first address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) urged the international community to relax weapons sanctions imposed during the country’s mostly sectarian violence.

Welcoming the recent appointment of a UN peacekeeping mission to help end sectarian violence in the region, Samba Pamza said,

Taiwan rejects China unification plan

Sep 27, 2014

The Taiwanese president has rejected the terms for unification with China, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, President Ma Ying-jeou said Taiwan does not accept the “one country, two systems” deal, proposed by their neighbours.

"In the early 1980's the 'one country, two systems' concept was created for Taiwan, not for Hong Kong. But Taiwan has sent a clear message that we do not accept the concept," said Ma.

"If the system is good, then we believe it should be 'one country, one system'."

"We are not expecting to go to war with the Chinese Communist Party," added Ma. "Instead, we are hoping to minimise the possibility of war between us."

Referring to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong, Ma said: "Taiwan is the only place in China where we are able to practice democracy .... We are worried about the developments in Hong Kong.

Israel waged 'war of genocide' in Gaza, Abbas tells UN

Sep 26, 2014
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of carrying out a “war of genocide” in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly and called for punishment for war crimes.

Prosecutors call for Karadzic to be jailed for life over genocide

Sep 26, 2014
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic should be jailed for life over his role in the 1995 Srebrenica genocide said prosecutors at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on Friday.

In a final trial brief, prosecutors said,
"Under his command and oversight, Karadzic's subordinates and those cooperating with them expelled, killed, tortured and otherwise mistreated hundreds of thousands of Muslims and Croats."

"Should the Chamber find Karadzic responsible for a substantial portion of the crimes ... life imprisonment is the only appropriate sentence."
Karadzic is facing trial for 11 counts, including genocide. He is accused of directing atrocities throughout the conflict, including the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, where up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys were executed by Serbian troops.

Catalan president defies Madrid to call independence vote

Sep 26, 2014
Photograph @gencat

The president of Catalonia, Artur Mas, signed a decree on Saturday authorising a vote on independence on November 9th, for the north-eastern region of Spain.

Signing the decree in Barcelona, Mas said the vote, that has been entitled the 'Non-referendum popular consultation on the political future of Catalonia 2014', would be held in line with the Scottish referendum.

"Catalonia wants to speak. Wants to be heard. Wants to vote. Now is the right time and we have the right legal framework to do so," Mas told reporters following the signing in a speech in Catalan, Spanish and English.


The decree defies the government in Madrid, which has declared any such vote as unconstitutional.

The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy vowed to block any referendum.

"Quite simply, it is not legal so won't be held," Rajoy was quoted by CNN as saying.

"In addition to not being legal, it goes against our whole history and our feelings, against what the vast majority of the Spanish people think, against our past and against the future of the Spanish people that live in Catalonia and in the rest of Spain."

British fighter jets deployed over Iraq

Sep 26, 2014
Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets were deployed over Iraq, after British parliament on Friday endorsed airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the first RAF combat mission, on Saturday, had not engaged any targets. 

The MoD further revealed that an RAF transport aircraft had delivered fresh supplies to Kurdish authorities to aid efforts against the Islamic State militants, reports the Guardian.

Cambodia to accept Australian asylum seekers for aid money

Sep 25, 2014

The Australian government signed a deal with Cambodia, promising $35m in aid for accepting some of its rejected asylum seekers.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison met with Cambodia's Interior Minister Sar Kheng on Friday to finalise the agreement, which will see the money paid out over the next four years.

Morrison had earlier said the deal "enables us to fulfil on the policy which says no-one will be resettled in Australia".

Hamas and Fatah strike deal for unity government

Sep 25, 2014

Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah have agreed a deal for a national unity government to return to the Gaza Strip, which since 2006 has been run by Hamas.

The agreement, signed in Cairo on Friday, was described as “comprehensive” by Palestinian officials, but a Hamas official told AP that disagreements remained over who will pay civil servants in Gaza, and whether the Palestinian Authority's own security forces would be allowed in the territory.

Thousands demonstrate in Hong Kong as Occupy Central launches protest
US led coalition carries out airstrikes on Islamic State oil refineries
CAR calls for loosening of arms embargo
Taiwan rejects China unification plan
Israel waged 'war of genocide' in Gaza, Abbas tells UN
Prosecutors call for Karadzic to be jailed for life over genocide
Catalan president defies Madrid to call independence vote
British fighter jets deployed over Iraq
Cambodia to accept Australian asylum seekers for aid money
Hamas and Fatah strike deal for unity government