Israeli are likely to boycott the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a planned session of the UN Human Rights council, in protest against the group’s stance on the Jewish state. Despite the United States urging Israel to attend the session in Geneva, Israel are expected to refuse. The state broke away from the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC), after the group decided to probe the state’s West Bank settlements, and described the probe as a “blatant expression of the singling out of Israel in the UNHRC and the uncandid approach that characterises the Councils dealing with Israel.”...
North Korea has warned the South that it will retaliate with “physical counter-measures” if Seoul took part in sanctions by the UN. In a statement, released a day after it announced a third nuclear test, North Korea said sanctions would mean war. "If the puppet group of traitors takes a direct part in the UN 'sanctions', the DPRK (North Korea) will take strong physical counter-measures against it," it said. "'Sanctions' mean a war and a declaration of war against us." A UN resolution was passed on Tuesday, which expanded existing sanctions on the reclusive state. The US condemned North Korea’...
An UN official has told reporters that the body wants to send troops to intervene in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to fight rebels in the east of the country. The official said that an intervention force of 2,500 soldiers would be added to the UN’s existing Monusco peace keeping mission in the country. A political plan to end the violence is also set to be signed in Addis Ababa by the leaders of the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola, the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Tanzania and South Africa, reported the BBC. "Following the Goma crisis there was a realization here that after...
Catalania declared its region as a sovereignty entity on Wednesday in a largely symbolic act which paves the way for a referendum on independence from Spain. The declaration reads: "The people of Catalonia have - by reason of democratic legitimacy - the character of a sovereign political and legal entity." The declaration came after the Catalan parliament voted in favour by 85 votes for, 41 against and 2 abstentions. See here , here and here .
The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) amended its travel advisory to Libya on Thursday, advising all British nationals to leave Benghazi immediately as well as to avoid travel at all to some parts of the country. The FCO said that they were aware of "a specific, imminent threat to Westerners in Benghazi", claiming that there is a 'high threat' of 'indiscriminate' terrorist attacks and also a 'threat of kidnapping'. The advisory update also said: "Following French military intervention in Mali, there is a possibility of retaliatory attacks targeting Western interests in...
The French government has arr ested a man suspected of gen ocide and crimes against humanity in Rwanda, according to reports . Innocent Musabyimana was arrested on Tuesday by French auth orities whilst working as a delivery driver . Despite having a warrant issued for his arrests b y the Rwandan government in November 2012, F rench authorities and anti-genocide campaigners cl aim to have little information about the man . His arrest comes as Rwanda's Pro se cuto r Gene ral slammed the French government over the slow progress in arresting genocide suspects on their territory. See our earlier...
10 Nazi-era war criminals have been arrested in the past year, stated the Simon W iesenthal C enter, a five -fold increase on the previous year. In a report looking at the perio d from April 1st 2011 until M arch 31st 2012, 9 Nazi war criminals were convicted by Italy and 1 by Germ any . The two countries were praised , alongside the US, f or leading convictions against war criminals. A total of 7 countries have handed down convictions to Nazis since 2001, with Italy leading having prosecuted 45 cases and the US 39. Written b y Dr E fraim Zuroff, the report particu la r ly praises a 2011...
The US has decided to end the ban on female soldiers serving in front-line combat, according to a senior Pentagon official. The official told the BBC that Defence Secretary Leon Panetta overturned the 1994 prohibition and that the change will “initiate a process whereby the services will develop plans to implement this decision, which was made by the secretary of defense upon the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff." The formal announcement of the decision is expected to be made on Thursday.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused armed opposition groups in Syria of deliberately destroying religious sites in November and December 2012, following investigations in mixed areas of Northern Syria. According to evidence examined and witness statements, a Shia mosque was destroyed and two Christian churches looted after their respective towns fell into opposition control. Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said: “The destruction of religious sites is furthering sectarian fears and compounding the tragedies of the country, with tens of thousands killed. Syria...
A court in Guatemala has begun a pre-trial hearing into a genocide case against former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, in potentially the first trial for genocide of the country’s indigenous tribes. The 86-year-old former general who ruled from 1982-83, stands accused of overseeing hundreds of killings of Mayan indigenous tribes whom he claimed were linked to leftist rebels. He was accompanied by generals Jose Rodriguez and Hector Lopez, who also stand accused. Rios Montt’s lawyers argue that he is protected by an amnesty law. A UN-backed Historical Clarification Commission found the Guatemalan...