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…

Putin pledges hundreds of new military planes for Russia

Russia’s President Vladmir Putin has stated that the country’s military will be boosted with the acquisition of 1,600 new warplanes and helicopters by 2020, as part of efforts to modernize the military.

Mursi dismisses Egyptian generals

The newly elected president of Egypt, Mohamed Mursi, dismissed two generals on Sunday, and quashed a military order that had curtailed the new government's powers.

Mursi's spokesperson described it as "sovereign" decision designed to pump "new blood" into the army.

Commenting on the announcement, Mursi said,

US and Turkey discuss possibility of Syrian no-fly zone

The United States and Turkey have been considering the imposition of a no-fly zone over Syria as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with  the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu this week.

Announcing that a working group to help provide “very intensive operational planning" was being set up, Clinton said,
"It is one thing to talk about all kinds of potential actions, but you cannot make reasoned decisions without doing intense analysis and operational planning,"

Federal investigation into Assam violence

India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will investigate recent violence in the north-eastern state of Assam.

77 people died after violence erupted between indigenous Bodo tribes and Bengali Muslim settlers.

Tension between the native Bodo and Bengali migrants has been simmering for years and erupted into full-scale riots after four Bodo youths were killed last month.

Bodos then attacked Muslims in retaliation, accusing them of being behind the killings.

Mexico Supreme Court decides against military impunity

Mexico’s Supreme Court has moved to hand over cases of human rights abuses by the military to civilian courts. The decision is a blow to the military’s culture of impunity in abuse, torture and executions.

The ruling undermines President Felipe Calderon’s resolute defence of the military during the goverment's six-year offensive against drug rings. His government had proposed that some military cases be moved to civilian courts, but this proposal did not include murder.

Guatemalan war crimes suspect appeal deemed 'hopeless'

A Canadian court has rejected an appeal from a Guatemalan accused of war crimes who is fighting an extradition order to the United States for immigration offenses.

Jorge Vinico Orantes Sosa is accused of lying to immigration authorities in the US over his time spent in the counter-insurgency force of the Guatemalan military in 1982. He also stands accused of massacring the village of Dos Erres in 1982, whilst leading a military patrol.

See our earlier post: Guatemalan war criminal to be extradited to US (05 Sept 2011)

UK sends further £5 million to Syrian rebels

Britain has announced that it will send £5 million to Syrian rebels in order to further non-lethal assistance, stating that it was the “right thing to do”.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced earlier on Friday that the aid was for unarmed members of the opposition and human rights activists, in addition to £27.5 million in humanitarian aid for food and medical care.

The money is to be spent on satellite phones and radar equipment for the opposition, as well as,

Security Council would consider economic sanctions on Sudan, South Sudan

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, welcomed the recent agreements between Sudan and South Sudan, that have allowed humanitarian aid agencies into the liberation movement’s territory. However, she reiterated the need for both parties to formulate a deal resolving the pending issues along the border promptly.

Rice said,

Hundreds executed by both sides in Ivory Coast

Hundreds of people who died during the civil war in Ivory Coast last year were summarily executed.

Fighters who backed the current president are accused of committing many of the killings, according to a report commissioned by the government.

Newly elected Assembly takes power in Libya

Almost a year after Muammar Gadaffi was ousted, power has been handed over to a newly elected Assembly.

The National Transitional Council, formed as an interim body during Libya’s revolution, has now been dissolved.

The chief of the NTC, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, admitted the NTC’s failure in bringing stability to Libya, but said they governed in “exceptional times”.

The event is historically significant as Libya’s first peaceful transition of power in modern times.