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…

France orders release of suspected war criminal

A French court in Douai has ordered the release of Laurent Serubuga, a former colonel in the Rwandan army and an ethnic Hutu, who is suspected of playing a role in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

The court ruled that as the atrocities were committed at a time when the genocide and crimes were committed, they were not punishable by law, Serubuga should not have been charged.

Rwanda had requested the extradition, which led to his arrest in July this year.

Dutch apology for colonial crimes

The Dutch government has made a formal apology for the thousands of summary executions it carried out in Indonesia leading up to its independence.

The victims of the killings, committed between 1945 and 1949, were mostly men and the worst atrocities were committed on the island of Sulawesi.

"The Dutch government is aware that it bears a special responsibility in respect of Indonesian widows of victims of summary executions," Dutch ambassador to Indonesia Tjeerd de Zwaan said.

US and Russia begin talks on Syria

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Obama postpones congress vote on Syria as Damascus admits chemical stockpile

The Syrian regime on Tuesday admitted it possessed chemical weapons and said it will work with the UN and Russia to “halt possession” of the weapons.

Russia on Monday proposed a plan for international monitors to examine the chemical weapons stockpile with a view to destroy them.

"We are ready to inform about the location of chemical weapons, halt the production of chemical weapons, and show these objects to representatives of Russia, other states and the United Nations," Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said.

Catalans demonstrate for independence

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Ruto pleads not guilty at ICC

The Deputy President  of Kenya, William Ruto, pleaded not guilty to crimes against humanity at the Hague today.

HRW: Assad responsible for chemical weapons attack

A report published by Human Rights Watch today, outlined that evidence from the massacre site suggested that Assad’s regime was responsible for the chemical weapons attack.

Basing its conclusions on testimony from witnesses and medical staff as well as analysis of the armaments used, the report concluded,

Almost a quarter of Asian men admit rape - UN survey

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Kenyan Deputy President arrives at The Hague

Kenya’s Deputy President Wiliam Ruto arrived at The Hague today, to stand trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), on Tuesday.

Ruto and the  Kenyan Presidant Uhuru Kenyatta have been charged with charges against humanity, which they continue to deny.

PKK halts withdrawal

The Kurdish rebel PKK has halted the withdrawal of its armed cadres from Turkey according to a website linked to the militants.

The PKK blamed Turkey for not moving towards “democratisation and the resolution of the Kurdish problem”.

Earlier this year the Turkish government and the PKK agreed a deal which would see the PKK pull back its troops to Kurdistan in Iraq and the government to improve Kurdish rights.