• ICRC calls for ceasefire in Yemen

    Apr 03

    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called for a 24 hour ceasefire in Yemen, as it attempted to deliver medical aid to besieged areas of the country.

    Stating that there was a “dire humanitarian situation” in the country, Robert Mardini, the aid group's head of operations in the Middle East, said, "we urgently need an immediate halt to the fighting to allow families in the worst affected areas, such as Aden, to venture out to get food and water, or to seek medical care."

    "All air, land and sea routes must be opened without delay for at least 24 hours to enable help to reach people cut off after more than a week of intense air strikes and fierce ground fighting nationwide," said an ICRC statement.

  • Kenyan president vows response to attack 'in the severest ways possible'
    Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to respond to the attack on a university that killed 148 people "in the severest ways possible", as Islamic militant organisation al-Shabab pledged further attacks.

    Describing as the threat posed by al-Shabab as "existential" Mr Kenyatta vowed to "fight terrorism to the end". "I want you to know that our security forces are pursuing the remaining accomplices. We will bring all of them to justice," he said. "Our forefathers bled and died for this nation, and we will do everything to defend our way of life."
  • 15 US senators call on Obama to recognise Armenian genocide
    In a letter to US president, Barack Obama, fifteen senators urged that the 1915 Armenian genocide should urgently be recognised as the centennial approaches.

    “While the United States Congress has a long history of support for the victims and the memory of the Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as ‘genocide’”.

    The Senate signatories stressed that a principled stand by the President would: “send a powerful signal to the international community that this Administration is committed to recognizing the Armenian Genocide, to upholding the ideals of tolerance and universal human rights upon which our country was founded, and to preventing similar atrocities from ever happening again."

  • UN finds 'excessive force' used by peacekeepers in Mali protests
    United Nations peacekeepers in Mali used “unauthorised and excessive force” when attempting to quell protests outside the regional headquarters of the UN mission in the country, said a UN internal inquiry.

    The protests in January led to the deaths of three people, as UN peacekeepers fired on civilians.

    The Secretary-General of the UN also stated his “regret” over the incident, adding that he “condemned it as a violation” of the peacekeeping mission. The troops in question have since been sent home. UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said the organisation would follow up on the internal inquiry to ensure “justice is done”.
  • Short-range missiles test-fired' by North Korea

    The North Korean government has test-fired four short-range missiles, according to South Korean military officials.

    The missiles were fired into the sea from Dongchang-ri, on the west coast of the country, a statement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

  • Sinai attack leaves 17 dead

    Armed gunmen attacked military checkpoints on the Sinai peninsula, leaving 15 Egyptian soliers and two civilians dead.

    The checkpoints, located near the border with Gaza in the town of Sheikh Zuweid, were attacked on Thursday by militants suspected to be part of Sinai Province, a group which last year pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

  • Any agreement with Iran must include commitment to recognise state of Israel, says Netanyahu
    Any final nuclear deal with Iran must include commitment form Tehran to recognise Israel’s right to exist, said the Israeli prime minister on Friday.

    In a statement released after a preliminary international agreement was reached on Iran’s nuclear programme, Banjamin Netanyahu, said,
  • Election boycott possible if there is no constitutional change, says Myanmar opposition
    Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, on Friday,  threatened to boycott upcoming elections if the current country constitution remained unchanged. 

    Speaking to Reuters, Ms Suu Kyi said that US praise for Myanmar’s new semi-civilian government, which took power in 2011, had made it “complacent” and hindering delivering true reform.
  • Islamic state militants enter Damascus refugee camp
    Officials from the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) said that Islamic State militants had entered the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, Yarmouk, which holds over 18,000 residents.

    Militants within the Damascus refugee camp were attacking new arrivals throughout the day said the PLO in a statement on Wednesday.
  • Christian students targeted in Al Shabab attack on university in Kenya

    At least 147 people died in an attack on the Garissa University College campus by al-Shabab gunmen.

    The four gunmen, who initially besieged the campus, targeting Christian students for executions, blew themselves up as the siege ended according to the Associated Press.

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned what he called a "terrorist attack" and said the UN was ready to help Nairobi to "prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism".

    The United States said it was offering the Kenyan government assistance to take on al-Shabab and would continue to work with others to take on the group.

  • Historic nuclear agreement reached with Iran

    Intense negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran have ended with an agreement, under which Tehran will reduce its uranium enrichment capacity in exchange for phased sanctions relief.

    US President Barack Obama said a "historic understanding" had been reached with Iran.

    The P5+1, the US, UK, France, China and Russia plus Germany - and Iran, have been in negotiations for months and a deadline to reach an agreement on March 31 was missed.

    Under the deal, Iran will face more inspections than any other country, President Obama said.

    "If Iran cheats, the world will know it," he said, adding that the deal was based not on trust but on "unprecedented verification".

  • Houthi militants seize presidential city in Yemen
    Houthi militants in Yemen seized the presidential district of Aden and overtook the president’s residency on Thursday, reports Reuters.

    The city in the south of Yemen was taken by the Houthis after a seven day struggle which included Saudi Airstrikes to curtail the Houthi advances.
  • China’s Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank sees 47 country applications before deadline
    The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) received 47 applications by countries to become founding members before its deadline on Wednesday.

    Despite the disapproval of the AIIB by the United States, many applicants included countries  such as the UK, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, France and Germany.

    The US has been reported to have initially attempted to dissuade allies against the AIIB, saying it was an initiative in competition with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Japan remains the only Asian country allied with the Americans not to have applied to join the AIIB.
  • Iran nuclear talks end without preliminary agreement
    Negotiations with Iran ended on Wednesday with all parties failing to come to an agreement on key issues including the lifting of UN sanctions, reports Reuters.

    The US, UK France, Germany, Russia and China were all involved in 7 days of negotiations to curtail Iran’s capacity of developing nuclear weapons, in exchange for easing of international sanctions.

    Though Russia expressed optimism, of a future initial agreement, France’s foreign minister returned to Paris citing that things had not advanced enough for an “immediate dealt.”

    The British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond, speaking to British press, said,

    “I think we have a broad framework of understanding, but there are still some key issues that have to be worked through.”
  • Thailand lifts martial law, brings in arbitrary detention law
    The ruling junta in Thailand announced that martial law had been lifted in the country, in a statement televised on Wednesday.
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