WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

UN experts demand investigation following Israel’s killing of Lebanese journalists
  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…

Sanctions on Russia will harm global economy - Putin

Nov 14, 2014

The Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that sanctions imposed on his country by the EU and US will negatively affect the global economy.

Car bombs target Egyptian and UAE embassies in Libya

Nov 13, 2014

Two car bombs have exploded outside the UAE and Egyptian embassies in Libya, in an attack reportedly carried out by Islamic militant groups in Tripoli.

The attack left two guards outside the Egyptian embassy wounded and three guards injured outside the UAE embassy. Both buildings were empty at the time of the explosion, after both countries alongside other nations, pulled diplomatic staff out of Tripoli.

Islamic State militants should be prosecuted at ICC concludes UN report

Nov 13, 2014
Commanders of Islamic State militants should be tried at the International Criminal Court for war crimes in northeast Syria concluded UN investigators on Friday.

A report based on over 300 interviews with witnesses and victims found that mass killings that constituted of “egregious violations of binding international humanitarian law and the war crime of murder on a massive scale,” had been committed by Islamic State commanders.

Boko Haram capture symbolic town of Chibok

Nov 13, 2014

Islamic militant group Boko Haram have captured Chibok, the town where they kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls earlier this year.

On Thursday evening Boko Haram militants reportedly overran Nigerian army defences in the town, situated in the Borno state.

Several vigilante groups attempted to defend the town, with one of the vigilantes Musa Ali, saying “you couldn't count them because there were so many.”

"All the security and the soldiers, they ran away and left us on our own. They didn't shoot at them, they just ran,” he added. “All the ammunition we had was finished, so there was no way we could attempt to hold the area.”

However, Pogo Bitrus, chairman of the Chibok elders' forum, told Voice of America that “the fight, I believe, is not finished yet."

In April of this year Boko Haram kidnapped schoolgirls from the town, with 219 of them remaining missing.

Transition plan to civilian led rule agreed in Burkina Faso

Nov 13, 2014
A plan to transition between military rule to a civilian led government in Burkina Faso was agreed on Thursday, by the army, opposition parties, civil society groups and religious leaders.

The transition charter was "unanimously voted" for by all sides, said a spokesperson for the talks.

The military took control of the country with Lt Col Isaac Zida declaring himself head of state, after mass protests forced the president, Blaise Compaore, to resign on October 31.

According to the agreed charter, an interim president will be selected by military, political, civil society and religious leaders. The interim president will then appointed a prime minister, who in turn will form a 25 member government.

Myanmar reforms backsliding warns Obama

Nov 12, 2014
The US President Barack Obama warned this week that Myanmar's democratic reforms has slowed down and were even backsliding in an interview with Irrawady.

"Progress has not come as fast as many had hoped when the transition began four years ago. In some areas there has been a slowdown in reforms, and even some steps backward. Former political prisoners continue to face restrictions," Obama said, highlighting the attacks against Rohingya Muslims by extremist Buddhist groups.

Israel denies entry to UN inquiry team

Nov 12, 2014
Israel has denied entry to a UN inquiry team mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) against the Palestinian people in Gaza earlier this year.

Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Emmanuel Nachshon, was quoted by the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, as saying the decision to stop the team from entering was made "in view of the [UN Human Rights] Council’s obsessive hostility toward Israel, the committee’s one-sided mandate and committee chairman William Schabas’ declared anti-Israeli positions."

"[The committee is] a pretense that some inquiry is being held before the conclusions are published,” he added.

“While Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israel, the UN’s Human Rights Council made a decision stating Israel’s guilt in advance and set up a probe as a rubber stamp for its known positions."

India jails soldiers for Kashmir killings

Nov 12, 2014
India has sentenced seven soldiers to life imprisonment for the murder of three youths in Indian-administered Kashmir four years ago.

The seven soldiers, including two officers, were found guilty of luring the three young men from their homes, promising jobs and money, before murdering them. The soldiers then claimed that the men were Pakistani militants who they had killed in an encounter.

Nigerian army recaptures Mubi from Boko Haram

Nov 12, 2014
The Nigerian army has recaptured the town of Mubi from militant Islamist group Boko Haram, said government officials on Thursday.

Mubi, the second largest town in the north-eastern Adamawa state was captured by Boko Haram in October, who renamed it Madinatul Islam - City of Islam.

Whilst the Nigerian army has not commented on the current situations, an anonymous military source told Reuters, the army was "on the verge of recapturing Mubi and other towns and villages taken over by the insurgents".

Adamawa State Governor Bala Ngilari told reporters that "the insurgents have been flushed out of Mubi and are on the run."

Meanwhile the UN's special representative for central Africa Abdoulaye Bathily said he was launching "an appeal to the international community to mobilise more in support of states' efforts in the battle against this terrorist group, whose atrocities have caused a worrying stream of refugees in neighbouring countries."

The worst could happen' in Burundi warns UN genocide adviser

Nov 12, 2014
The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide has warned that unless there is space for greater freedom in Burundi, “the worst could happen” ahead of elections next year.

Adama Dieng, who was speaking at a UN-backed Rwandan genocide tribunal in Tanzania, said "the forces of evil must not be allowed to push certain actors toward criminal violence."

"The best way to halt this violence is to bring all political players together to talk. If not, the worst could happen," continued Dieng.

"Today no state can use its sovereignty in order to quietly commit murder," he added.
Sanctions on Russia will harm global economy - Putin
Car bombs target Egyptian and UAE embassies in Libya
Islamic State militants should be prosecuted at ICC concludes UN report
Boko Haram capture symbolic town of Chibok
Transition plan to civilian led rule agreed in Burkina Faso
Myanmar reforms backsliding warns Obama
Israel denies entry to UN inquiry team
India jails soldiers for Kashmir killings
Nigerian army recaptures Mubi from Boko Haram
The worst could happen' in Burundi warns UN genocide adviser