WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Baloch activists accuse state-backed death squads of new killings
Photograph: Screenshot/ BLA video A fresh wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances has been documented across Balochistan this month, as Baloch rights groups recorded the recovery of several bodies of men who had earlier been forcibly taken, and appealed once more to international institutions that have largely ignored the province. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC)…

Fierce fighting rages in Benghazi

Nov 3, 2014
Heavy fighting between Islamist militias and Libyan government forces has continued in Benghazi, leaving at least 13 people dead.

Reuters reported that a Libyan navy ship was hit as aircraft and tanks were used in battles that raged across the port city. More than 200 people have been killed since the army began their offensive to retake the city last month. Dozens of residents fled the city, after the army issued a call, asking them to evacuate.

US condemns new Israeli settlement plans

Nov 3, 2014
The US condemned Israel’s settlement plans in Jerusalem on Monday deeming them “illegitimate” , reports Aljazeera and Haaretz.

Opposing Israel’s announcement of new settlement plans on Monday, a US State Department spokesperson said,

Reports of Peshmerga war crimes, KRG rejects allegations

Nov 2, 2014
The Kurdish Peshmerga forces have been accused of committing war crimes by a Dutch TV program, Nieuwsuur, which aired a news report last week where it reported Kurdish forces were executing captured Islamic State fighters.

The program showed what it claimed was an interview of the head of a Kurdish voluntary unit, Serdar Dosky.

Dosky was secretly recorded saying that "Kurdish Peshmerga forces do not take prisoners of war, but execute those captured".

The allegations have been rejected by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

UK cuts aid to Ethiopia as human rights concerns increase

Nov 2, 2014

The British government has axed most of its aid programme to the Ethiopian police force, amidst increasing evidence of torture, rape and murder by the government, reported The Telegraph.

The decision comes soon after a report by Amnesty International which said that thousands of ethnic Oromos were being “ruthlessly targeted by the state”.

'Because I am Oromo' - Amnesty International report

British ministers decided to suspend most of the £27mn scheme, which was intended to help Ethiopian police “interact with communities on local safety”, help women access the justice system and improve criminal investigations.

Over £1bn in aid, including around £70 million for “governance and security” projects has already been given to the Ethiopian government over the past three years.

The Department for International Development said the project was cancelled because it did not represent “value for money” and because of “risk” in getting it delivered on time and insisted that suspension of the aid was entirely unrelated to the allegations of human rights abuses, saying its decision pre-dated the Amnesty International report.

African Union issues ultimatum to Burkina Faso army

Nov 2, 2014
The African Union (AU) has issued a two-week deadline for Burkina Faso's military to hand over power to a civilian led government or face regional sanctions.

The latest statement comes following a meeting of the AU's Peace and Security Council in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday. The head of the Council, Simeon Oyono Esono said,
"We ask the armed forces to transfer power to the civil authorities, and the council has determined a period of two weeks for the transfer."

"The African Union is convinced that the change has been against democracy. However, we know that popular pressure led to the resignation of the president... Those circumstances were taken by the armed forces to get into power, but it originated from the people."

Canada launches first air strikes against Islamic State militants

Nov 2, 2014
Canada launched its first air strikes against the Islamic State in Iraq as at least 300 people from the Albu Nimr tribe in Iraq were executed by Islamic State militants over the weekend.

The Canadian airstrikes have been carried out in secret with the Canadian military denying media access. 

Canada’s defence minister told press that further details of Canada’s airstrike agenda would be released on Tuesday.

Canada’s airstrikes come as US backed militants in Syria lost ground to the Al-Nusra fighters, who reportedly captured US weaponry in their advances.

Dozens feared dead after migrant boat sinks off Turkey

Nov 2, 2014
At least 24 people have been killed and more are feared dead, after a fishing boat carrying migrants capsized off the cost of Turkey on Monday.

Children and women were reportedly amongst the dead as rescuers continued the search for survivors, with 6 people having being rescued so far.

See a report from Al-Jazeera below.

Pro-Russian separatists hold elections in Eastern Ukraine

Nov 1, 2014
Pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk held elections on Sunday, to directly elect presidents and parliaments.

The elections have been slammed as illegitimate by the EU, Nato and the US who have vowed not to recognise the results. "We deplore the intent of separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine to hold illegitimate so-called local 'elections' on Sunday," said the White House in a statement on Friday.

Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, referred to the elections as “the pseudo-elections that terrorists and bandits want to organise on occupied territory”.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the elections, stating that a ceasefire agreed in September allowed for elections that were "in co-ordination with, not in line with" Ukrainian plans.

Argentina requests arrest of Spanish Franco-era officials

Nov 1, 2014
A judge in Argentina has requested the arrest and extradition of 20 former officials suspected of carrying out human rights abuses during the dictatorship of General Franco.

The officials are accused of being complicit in the torture of dissidents during the Spanish dictator's rule from 1939 to 1975. Former cabinet ministers José Utrera Molina, 88, and Rodolfo Martín Villa, 80 are amongst the accused.

Federal judge Maria Servini de Cubria requested the extraditions under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which can see judges try suspects of serious human rights abuses from foreign countries.

The families of the victims requested Argentina help try the officials, as an 1977 amnesty law passed in Spain blocks any legal action against the former officials.

Islamist party leader sentenced to death for war crimes in Bangladesh

Nov 1, 2014
A senior leader of Bangladesh's largest Islamist party has been sentenced to death by a special tribunal investigating charges of war crimes during the country's 1971 war of independence.

Mir Quasem Ali from Jamaat-e-Islami faced 14 charges in Chittagong including letting loose a "reign of terror". He was found guilty of 8 of the charges.

State prosecutor Ziad Al Mamun told reporters that "justice has been served" adding that the sentencing would break down the "culture of impunity" in the country.

However Ali's defence lawyer Mizanur Rahman said "we didn't get proper judgement."
Fierce fighting rages in Benghazi
US condemns new Israeli settlement plans
Reports of Peshmerga war crimes, KRG rejects allegations
UK cuts aid to Ethiopia as human rights concerns increase
African Union issues ultimatum to Burkina Faso army
Canada launches first air strikes against Islamic State militants
Dozens feared dead after migrant boat sinks off Turkey
Pro-Russian separatists hold elections in Eastern Ukraine
Argentina requests arrest of Spanish Franco-era officials
Islamist party leader sentenced to death for war crimes in Bangladesh