WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

  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…

Kenya calls for EU support for attacks on al-Shabab

The prime minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga, has called for EU and US help for a ‘final onslaught’ on the main stronghold of al-Shabab in Somalia.

Odinga said Kenyan forces would reach the port town of Kismayo by August and said funds and troops were needed to dislodge al-Shabab.

The EU’s anti-piracy mission has up to 10 war-ships patrolling off the coast of Somalia and has a mandate to attack Somali pirates on land.

Syria echoes Bosnia - Hague

Speaking to The Times on Sunday, the British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, reiterated that military invention in Syria could not be ruled out.

Comparing the situation to that of Bosnia in the 1990s, Hague commented that the international community's inaction during that conflict led to tens of thousands of deaths.

ICC staff jailed in Libya - BBC

The head of the Zintan brigade militia has told the BBC, that four officials from the International Criminal Court have been jailed in the town of Zintan.

Ajami al-Ateri told the BBC that the team will be held for 45 days pending investigations.

The team was detained after visiting Col Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is being held by the Zintan brigade.

They are accused of trying to hand Gaddafi documents while visiting him in a prison in the town.

US voices fears of further massacres in Syria

The United States has expressed fears that Syria’s Assad regime is planning fresh massacres in the country and warned the Syrian President against doing so, reminding them of the case of Bosnia.

Speaking in the daily press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said,
“The United States joins Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan in expressing deep alarm by reports from inside Syria that the regime may be organizing another massacre”

ICC demands release of staff in Libya

The International Criminal Court, demanded the released of four members of staff, that it alleges were detained whilst on an official trip in Libya.

The four were said to have been meeting the imprisoned Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, and include at least one of the two lawyers appointed to represent Saif al-Islam at The Hague.

The ICC president, Sang-Hyun Song, said,

“We are very concerned about the safety of our staff in the absence of any contact with them,”

New Syrian opposition leader calls for UN action

The newly elected leader of the Syrian National Council has called upon the international community to act decisively to prevent further killings in Syria, as reports of shelling in Homs emerged.

Kurdish activist Abdulbaset Sieda, who now leads the opposition umbrella organisation, stated in an Istanbul press conference,

Former official to face genocide trial in Rwanda

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has transferred the case of genocide suspect Bernard Munyagishari over to Rwandan authorities, marking only the fifth case in history that it has referred on.

A three-judge UN tribunal panel decided to transfer Munyagishari's case after ruling,
"Rwanda has made material changes in its laws and has indicated its capacity and willingness to prosecute cases referred by this Tribunal."

More shelling in Syria as Russia opposes intervention

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US criticises Serbian president’s genocide denial

The United States has condemned Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic’s statement denying genocide in Srebrenica, labelling it “counterproductive”.

US State Department spokesperson Mark Toner, responded to the newly sworn in Serbian president’s comments, stating,

Senior Cambodian officials named for genocide investigation

An investigating judge for the UN genocide tribunal in Cambodia has named four senior government officials as persons of interest, according to confidential documents obtained by The Age.