• Most senior Syrian diplomat to the UK resigns

    Jul 29

    The most senior Syrian diplomat to the UK has resigned in protest against his government’s “violent and oppressive acts”.

    Khaled al-Ayoubi was the Charge d’Affaires and the highest ranking Syrian official in the UK after Bashar al-Assad withdrew the Syrian ambassador in March this year.

  • Russia and US 'not as sharply different' on Syria says Medvedev

    Speaking to The Times during the London 2012 Olympics, Russian Prime Minister Medvedev, insisted that the differences between Russia and the US were not as vast as people considered them to be.

    Medvedev said,

  • Russia backtracks on naval base plans
    Russia has denied an earlier statement from a Navy chief that it was looking to establish naval bases abroad, setting up what would be the countries first foreign bases since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
  • Slovakian Jews call for extradition of suspected 97-year-old war criminal
    The Slovakian Jewish community has called for the extradition of a 97-year-old man suspected of having committed war crimes during the Holocaust, who is currently under house arrest in Hungary.

    Laszlo Csatary, stands accused of sending over 15,000 Jews to concentration camps in 1944, as an officer in the Hungarian Royal Police. The town that he served in, Kosice, was then part of Hungary, but is now part of Slovakia.
  • Israel number 1 Middle-East counter-intelligence threat says CIA

    CIA officials consider Israeli intelligence units to be their foremost counter-intelligence threat in the Middle East, the Associated Press reports.

    CIA officers in Israel have reported having their homes broken into and the tampering of sensitive communication equipment.

  • EU urges Israel to protect the rights of the Arab-Palestinian minority whilst strengthening economic relations
    In a recent statement, the EU-Israel Association condemned Israel for a vast range of human rights violations in the state and “occupied Palestine territory”.

    Addressing various issues, the statement noted Israel’s obligation to protect the rights of the Arab-Palestinian minority, emphasising that this issue was a core problem that had to be addressed in it’s own right.
  • UN fails to agree on proposed arms treaty
    A proposed treaty to regulate the arms trade failed to be agreed upon at the United Nations on Friday, with no decision having been made.

    Over 170 countries have been in New York to negotiate the terms of the treaty, which could have been vetoed by any one country. With no consensus having been reached, further talks may occur at the UN General Assembly by the end of the year.
  • Russia distances itself from Assad
    Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday, that Russia was “not even thinking about” providing asylum for Assad, in a sign that the country may be distancing itself from the besiged Syrian regime.

    When asked about media reports that Russia was ready to offer Assad asylum, Lavrov replied,
  • UN calls for an independent investigation over violence in Burma
    The UN human rights chief, Navi Pillay, has asked for a prompt independent investigation due to claims of abuses by security forces in Burma’s Rakhine state, noting that that the crisis reflected the long-standing systemic discrimination against the Muslim Rohingya community, who are not recognized by the Government and remain stateless.

    Speaking on the issue Ms Pillay said,
  • Rwanda demands ‘respect’ as more aid cut
    Rwanda has demanded respect from Western nations, accusing them of treating the country like a child, in response to further cuts in funding to the African country.

    Addressing a Kenyan business club, Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said,
  • Former Milosevic aide sworn in as Serbian Prime Minister

    A spokesperson for the late Slobodan Milosevic, the former Serbian and Yugoslavian President charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, has been appointed the new Prime Minister of Serbia.

  • British PM to challenge Putin on Syria during Olympic visit

    The British Prime Minister David Cameron has stated that he will raise concerns over Syria with Russian President Vladmir Putin, when he visits London next week to watch the Olympic Games.

    Putin will be visiting Britain for the first time in 9 years, and will be watching the judo event on Thursday with the British leader.

  • Kenyan witnesses in ICC cases face intimidation
    The prosecutor for the international criminal court (ICC) has raised concerns with the Kenya over the intimidation of witnesses in the two trials involving 4 Kenyans at the Hague.

    Speaking to a news conference in Nairobi

  • Rwandan aid frozen by Britain

    Britain has decided to freeze £16 million worth of aid to Rwanda, following allegations that the country was fuelling the conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Britain’s decision echoes steps taken by the US and Netherlands to condemn the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, after a UN report accused Rwanda of arming rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  • UN lifts sanctions on Taylor allies

    The UN Security Council has lifted sanctions on 17 allies of the former Liberian president, Charles Taylor.

    The sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes were imposed over 10 years ago to weaken Taylor’s regime.

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