• Who to call a terrorist

    Aug 31

    The US administration is undecided on whether the Haqqani network, based in Pakistan, should be designated as a terrorist organisation, the Washington Times reports. It adds that some officials are concerned such a move could complicate relations with Pakistan, and efforts for peace talks with the Taliban.

  • Syrian rebels seize air defence base

    The Syrian rebels have seized one of the military's air defence bases in the east of the country, a UK based monitoring group reported.

    The attack took place on Saturday in Deir al-Zor province, with the rebels also seizing a number of anti-aircraft rockets, and 16 captives.

  • Senior Indian opposition politician sentenced for role in riots

    A BJP MLA and former aide to Gujarati Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for her role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, which killed over a thousand Muslims.

    Maya Kodnani was convicted of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy.

    Judge Jyotsna Yagnik said Ms Kodnani was a “kingpin of riots”.

  • ICC team probes alleged war crimes in Mali
    A three-member team from the International Criminal Court arrived in Mali on Friday to investigate reports of war crimes committed by Islamists in the country’s north.

    ICC mission chief Amady Ba told journalists,
    "We're in Mali to pick up elements, listen to various people and take a comparative look" 
  • Sudan withdraws UNHRC candidacy
    Following criticism from human rights groups and pro-democracy activists, Sudan has withdrawn its application for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, reports the Associated Press.

    Sudan’s UN Mission said in a letter on Friday that "it is no longer interested in taking up one of the vacancies available in the Human Rights Council" although a reason for withdrawal was not cited.
  • Merkel signs deal to sell 50 Airbus planes to China

    China has completed a deal with a German business delegation, headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel, to buy 50 planes, worth $3.5 billion, from Europe’s Airbus.

    Germany has dispatched its biggest trade delegation ever to visit China and signed ten other agreements according to Xinhua news agency.

  • Asylum seeker boat sinks en route to Australia

    A vessel carrying over 150 asylum seekers sank on route to Australia yesterday, approximately 45 nautical miles from Indonesia.

  • Australian govt's moral of the story

    Speaking to reporters on the sinking of an asylum seekers' boat en route to Australia yesterday, the Australian Home Affairs Minister, Jason Clare, offered his take on the events:

  • UN finds reports of massacres in DR Congo ‘beyond comprehension’
    The United Nations received reports of massacres in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, that suggest that hundreds of civilians have been slaughtered.

    Commenting on the allegations, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, noted that the allegations still had to be verified, but said,
  • Syrian attacks on bread lines are war crimes – HRW
    Human Rights Watch has accused the Syrian government of committing further war crimes, after reports that government forces have repeatedly targeted civilians, whilst they were waiting in queues to receive bread.

    The organisation stated that at least 10 bakeries had been targeted in the last 3 weeks in the Aleppo province, by “artillery shells, rockets, and bombs”.
  • Pro-Assad hackers target Amnesty

    The live wire blog of Amnesty International was attacked by hackers on Monday evening, who posted comments as Amnesty staff that falsely accused the Syrian rebels of atrocities.

    The human rights group's live wire blog features personal narratives from Amnesty researchers and fieldworkers.

    One false post read:

    “It is clear the Al Qaeda affiliated rebels are not going to stop their crimes. And with no accountability and a steady supply of weapons, why should they given they have come this far under NATO protection?"

    According to Amnesty officials, as techinical staff attempted to deleted the hackers' work, the post reappeared a few hours later.

  • Germany admits training Belarusian police

    The German government has admitted it provided training and equipment worth over €50,000 to the Belarusian security forces.

    The interior ministry said it supplied surveillance equipment including digital cameras and computers and three Volkswagen police vans between 2008 and 2010, but could not confirm reports that batons and other riot combat equipment were also delivered during the period.

  • Burma’s president intervenes to release UN workers
    Following criticism over the Burmese court’s conviction and imprisonment of UN workers, Burma’s president has ordered that the three UN workers that were jailed be freed.
  • Tutu refuses to share platform with Tony Blair
    Nobel peace prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu has pulled out of a seminar in South Africa because of he refused to appear alongside former British prime minister Tony Blair.

    The pair were scheduled to take part in the Discovery Invest Leadership Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday, before Tutu’s announcement.

    In a statement released by his office, it was announced that after  "wrestling with his conscience and taking counsel",
    "Ultimately, the archbishop is of the view that Mr. Blair's decision to support the United States' military invasion of Iraq, on the basis of unproven allegations of the existence in Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, was morally indefensible."

    "The Discovery Invest Leadership Summit has leadership as its theme. Morality and leadership are indivisible."

    "In this context, it would be inappropriate and untenable for the archbishop to share a platform with Mr Blair."
  • Colombian government and Farc to hold peace talks

    The Colombian government and Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) are to hold exploratory talks towards peace, the Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Monday.

    Addressing state TV, Santos said,

    "Since the first day of my government I have completed my constitutional obligation to find peace. With that aim, we have had exploratory conversations with the FARC to seek an end to the conflict,"

    The talks are understood to take place later this year in Norway or Cuba.

    Santos added that the Colombian military would continue to act "throughout every centimetre" of the country whilst the talks took place.

    According to Reuters, Santos has agreed that Farc rebels would not be extradited to any other country to face convictions.

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