Senior officials in the White House have said that the State Department is going to remove the Iranian dissident organisation, Mujahadin-e-Khalq (MeK) from the US list of terrorist organisations. The officials said the decision would be announced formally next week. The group has renounced violence, while still calling for regime change, and is thought to have provided the US with intelligence on Iran's nuclear programme. US Iranians spent millions of dollars to enlist a wide range of US politicians to support the deproscription of the organisation, but only three years ago the US arrested several pro-MeK activists for raising funds for a banned terrorist organisation. Now members of congress 'openly praise' the organisation.
The killing of US Ambassador Chris Stevens in Libya has caused a public backlash against Islamist militias, reports the Associated Press. Tens of thousands of Libyans are reported to have marched in protest against the killing, demanding the disbanding of Ansar al-Shariah, one of the strongest armed Islamic extremist groups in the country. According to officials and witnesses, the September 11 attack on the Benghazi consulate is believed to have been led by fighters from Ansar al-Shariah. Read the full report on Washington Post here .
Palestine is set to push for the status of “observer state” at the UN allowing them to pursue cases against Israel at the International criminal Court, commented a senior Palestinian official. The move would grant Palestine the same ranking as states such as the Vatican, and would require a majority backing in the 193-member UN General Assembly. Palestine’s earlier attempt to achieve “full statehood” through the UN Security Council last year failed in the face of fierce lobbying from Israel and their long time ally, the United States. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat indicated that the move...
The US lifted sanctions on Burma, as the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned, that yet more needed to be done. “Political prisoners remain in detention", she said. Ongoing ethnic and sectarian violence continues to undermine progress toward national reconciliation, stability and lasting peace. And further reforms are required to strengthen the rule of law, increase transparency and address constitutional challenges.”
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged the EU to lift an arms embargo, in place since the 1989 Tiananmen Square killings. "The solution has been elusive over the past 10 years. I deeply regret this" said Wen, speaking in Brussels after meeting senior EU officials. Ahead of the talks, EU sources said that they will not be lifting the embargo and both sides have "agreed to disagree" on this issue. China and the EU however did agree on a deal to strengthen cooperation, aimed at "restoring market confidence and fostering financial stability". "The EU reaffirmed its support for China's peaceful...
A Syrian air force plane is thought to have attacked a petrol station near the north-eastern town of Raqqa, killing over 30 people according to rebels. The opposition group said people were queuing for petrol when they were attacked. Rebels recently captured the nearby border post of Tal al-Abyad, and pictures showed the rebel flag flying next to the Turkish flag at the crossing. The Syrian army has been attempting to recapture the border town, with reports of severe clashes emerging.
In an interview with The Times, Major-General Adnan Sillu. the head of the Assad regime's chemical weapons division who defected three months ago, has confirmed the regime had plans of using chemical weapons against its own citizens in Aleppo. Speaking to The Times, in his first interview (see here ) since he defected, he said: “We were in a serious discussion about the use of chemical weapons, including how we would use them and in what areas. We discussed this as a last resort — such as if the regime lost control of an important area such as Aleppo.” According to General Sillu, the Syrian regime were advised extensively by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, and also had plans of transferring supplies to Hezbollah.
Burmese authorities have embarked on a 'secret programme of ethnic cleansing', by bulldozing the Rohingya Muslims mosques and communities, reports The Times. With tens of thousands of Rohingya muslims having fled from home fearing further persecution by Buddhist Rakhinis, authorities are demolishing muslim homes, shops and mosques, many of which have considerable historic significance. Following a visit to Sittwe, The Times reports that five mosques in the region had been bulldozed a fortnight after the violence started, included one that dates from the 19th century, Musa Dewan Mosque...
The World Bank warned of a worsening of the fiscal crisis in the Palestinian economy on Wednesday, unless Israel eases restrictions on the West Bank, and foreign funding increases. In a statement, Mariam Sherman, the World Bank's country director for the Palestinian terrorities said, "Donors do need to act urgently in the face of a serious fiscal crisis facing the PA (Palestinian Authority) in the short term." "sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved without the removal of the barriers preventing private sector development, particularly in Area C". Whilst the Palestinian Authorities had made "credible efforts" towards addressing the crisis she said, the Israeli restrictions "remain the major impediment", such as the difficulty foreign investors faced in obtaining Israeli entry permits into even the West Bank, and the ban on importing "dual use" items - ie. anything that Israel fears could be used in weaponry.
Zimbabwean police officials have began searching for a wanted Rwandan genocide fugitive, after having previously denied his presence in the country. The fugitive, Protais Mpiranya, was a Major in the ex-Rwandan armed forces and was commander of the Presidential Guard accused of murdering top politicians during the genocide including the country’s then prime minister and 10 Belgian peacekeepers. Chief superintendent Peter Magwenzi told AFP , "We are trying to locate him… We want him dead or alive. We are looking for information to arrest him, we don't know how long he has been in the country...