• PM Abe refuses to apologise for WW2 actions

    The Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, said Japan felt “deep remorse” at its actions during World War Two, stopping short of the apology demanded by countries affected, including China and Korea.

  • African and Asian leaders call for new economic world order
    Leaders of Asian and African nation called for a new global order to allow for emerging economic powers, on Wednesday.

    Meeting at the 60th anniversary of a conference of developing countries that initially met to make a stand against colonialism called for a “new international economic order,” reports Reuters.
  • Saudi resumes air strikes in Yemen

    Saudi Arabia has resumed air strikes on Houthi rebels, only a few hours after announcing and end to the attacks by the coalition it leads.

    The government said on Tuesday the air strikes had “achieved its goals”, and the threat to Saudi Arabia was removed.

  • Iran reiterates need for removal of economic sanctions to finalise nuclear deal

    The negotiations between Iran and the European Union recommenced on Wednesday, with the timing of the removal of sanctions proving to be a vital point in further successful negotiations.

    The deputy foreign minister of Iran, Abbas Araqchi, after arriving in Vienna, said,

  • Saudi coalition announces end of airstrikes on Yemen
    The Saudi collation announced an end to its military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen after a month of sustained airstrikes on Houthi advances.

    The Saudi spokesperson, Ahmed Asseri, in a statement made on Saudi television, said,

    “Operation Decisive Storm has achieved its goals, removing the treat to Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries especially in terms of heavy weapons. With its end, the new Operation Restoring Hope begins with the following goals: continuing to protect civilians, continuing to fight terrorism and continuing to facilitate evacuation of foreign nationals and to intensify relief and medical assistance to the Yemeni people.”

    The announcement comes as the US navy sent one of its aircraft carriers to the sea off the coast of Yemen.
  • US aircraft carrier sent to Yemen

    The US navy has sent one of its aircraft carriers to the sea off the Yemeni coast, amidst reports an Iranian naval convoy is carrying arms for Houthi rebels.

    A US spokesperson said the ship would not stop the Iranian convoy, and said the deployment was to secure trade routes in the region.

    The USS Theodore Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier, and a guided-missile carrier, the USS Normandy, will join other vessels in the Arabian Sea off Yemen, US officials said.

    "We believe these vessels may have arms and equipment on board. If they are delivered to Yemen, it will further destabilise" the country, the official was quoted by AFP as saying.

  • Germany to name Armenian genocide

    The German government will support a resolution later this week, describing the massacre of around 1.5mn Armenians in 1915 as a genocide, according to Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert.

    "The government backs the draft resolution ... in which the fate of the Armenians during World War One serves as an example of the history of mass murders, ethnic cleansings, expulsions and, yes, the genocides during the 20th century," Mr Seibert said according to Reuters.

    German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier had earlier rejected using the word genocide, in an interview with public broadcaster ARD TV on Sunday, and denied it was to avoid upsetting Turkey.

  • Auschwitz guard admits ‘moral guilt’ as trial opens in Germany

     A former Nazi SS guard said he is “morally” guilty for his role at Auschwitz concentration camp, as he faced trial at a court in Germany on Tuesday.

    Oscar Groening, 93 years old, referred to as the “accountant of Auschwitz”, told the court of the two years he spent at the camp, as he went on accused of being complicit in the genocide.

    “It is without question that I am morally complicit in the murder of millions of Jews through my activities at Auschwitz,” said Mr Groening. “I ask for forgiveness. I share morally in the guilt but whether I am guilty under criminal law, you will have to decide.''

  • Former Egyptian president sentenced to 20 years imprisonment

    A court in Egypt sentenced former president Mohammed Morsi to 20 years in jail on Tuesday, finding him guilty of the arrest and torture of protestors.

    Mr Morsi, who was ousted by Egypt’s security forces in July 2013, was facing the first of several trials, related to the deaths of protestors in December 2012. He also stands accused of passing on intelligence to a foreign country.

  • EU to double search and rescue events as leaders meet to discuss action plan for Libyan refugee crisis
    An emergency summit has been scheduled to take place with European leaders this week as European Union proposed doubling the size of its search and rescue operations on Monday, amidst fears of further refugee boats in trouble at sea in between Libya and Europe.

    EU ministers, on Monday, held a moment of silence at a meeting to discuss the refugee crisis that has left an estimated 1,500 people dead at sea this year.
  • Unicef workers killed in Al-shabab attack in Somalia

    A United Nations vehicle was targeted by a bomb attack in northern Somalia, killing at least nine people, according to the latest reports.

    Amongst the dead were 4 Unicef workers, said officials, with the organisation saying in a statement that  “the IED [improvised explosive device] attack occurred when the staff were travelling from their guest house to the office, normally a three-minute drive.”

    The victims also reportedly included an MP from Puntland, the semi-autonomous region of Somalia where the attack took place, and African Union soldiers from Kenya and Burundi.

    Al-Shabab’s military operations spokesman, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, told Reuters, “We are behind the Garowe attack.”

  • Golden Dawn party leadership in Greek court
    The leader of neo-fascist Greek party Golden Dawn refused to show up at court on Monday, where he and other party leaders stand accused of running a criminal organisation.

    Party leader Nikos Mihaloliakos and more than a dozen leading figures from the party, the third largest in Greece, also face charges of murder, racist violence and weapons possession. The landmark trial is high profile in Greece, which will see a total of 69 people tried, including all 18 elected parliamentarians from Golden Dawn, reports Reuters.

    The trial, which is expected to last more than a year has been postponed until May 7, as one of the defendants did not have a lawyer.

    Five witnesses were reportedly attacked outside the courthouse, where around 200 Golden Dawn supporters had gathered. Meanwhile more than 4,000 anti-fascist demonstrators took part in a demonstration calling for party members to be convicted.
  • Iran to charge Washington Post journalist with espionage
    Washington Post journalist, Jason Rezaian, is to be charged by Iran for his alleged involvement in espionage, collaborating with with hostile governments and propaganda against the establishment, reports Reuters.

    The Washington Post executive editor, Martin Baron, said that Mr Rezian could face up to 20 years in prison, adding that,
  • FARC reaffirms commitment to peace talks with Colombian government
    Colombia’s FARC militants pledged to maintain their unilateral ceasefire and reiterated their commitment to the peace talks with the Colombian government.

    The Colombian government responding to the FARC statement, reaffirmed its commitment to the peace process, though blamed renewed violence
  • China signs $46bn 'superhighway' deal with Pakistan

    The Chinese government has signed several agreements worth $46bn, focusing on building a China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a network of roads, railway and pipelines between the two countries.

    When completed, the superhighway will give China direct access to the Indian Ocean.

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