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)…

Catalan parties elect new regional head to take movement forward

Jan 8, 2016
Catalan’s pro-independence parties agreed on a new leader that would create a regional government  following the step-down of previous leader Artur Mas, who faced a political deadlock with Madrid over Catalan autonomy.

Carlos Puigdemot was selected to lead the Catalan region after months of disagreements between pro-dindpendence parties over whether Artur Mas should serve another term.

Puigdemot is seen as a politician that will take a firmer approach with Madrid whilst being able to bring all the Catalan parties together, reports Reuters.

Syrian govt agrees to allow aid into Madaya says UN

Jan 6, 2016
The Syrian government has to allow aid into the town of Madaya after residents were reported to have died of starvation, the UN said.

The rebel held town has been under siege by government forces. Photographs released over recent days depicted severely emaciated children.

“The UN welcomes today’s approval from the government of Syria to access Madaya, Fua and Kefraya and is preparing to deliver humanitarian assistance in the coming days,” the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs said on Thursday.

Wall Street down as Chinese markets suspended

Jan 6, 2016
Shares on Wall Street were down on Thursday after China suspending trading on its market for the second time this week after stocks fell by over 7 percent.

China's decision to suspend the circuit breaker system, only increased concern among investors about the health of the country's currency and economy.

See here, here and here.

CAR UN peacekeepers face new sexual abuse charges

Jan 4, 2016
UN peacekeepers in Central African Republic were accused once again of sexual abuse after fresh allegations emerged this week, Reuters reported.

CAR's UN mission, known as MINUSCA said on Tuesday that it was "investigating fresh allegations concerning both sexual exploitation and abuse and other misconduct by U.N. Peacekeepers and international forces in Bangui."

The new reports come only weeks after the UN was accused of failing to act on previous allegations of child sexual abuse in 2013 and 2014.

U.S. 'deeply disappointed' that Rwandan president will seek third term

Jan 2, 2016
The United States is “deeply disappointed” by Rwandan President Paul Kagame  New Year’s announcement that he would seek a third term 2017, reports Reuters.

The spokesperson for the US State Department, 

“The United States is deeply disappointed the President Paul Kagame has announced his intention to run for a third term in office. The United States believes constitutional transitions of power are essential for strong democracies and that efforts by incumbents to change rules to stay in power weaken democratic institutions.”

Vatican officially recognises Palestine

Jan 2, 2016
An agreement singed last year to make the Vatican’s preliminary recognition of Palestine in 2012 official came into effect on Saturday, reports Reuters. 

In a statement released on Saturday, the Vatican said,

“The Holy See and the State of Palestine have notified each other that the procedural requirements for (the accord’s) entry into force have been fulfilled,” the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday.

Afghan president seeks to restore Taliban peace process in new year

Dec 30, 2015
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said that international meetings next month to lay the foundation of peace talks with Taliban would seek an approach that ended terrorism.

Officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States are due to meet in Islamabad in less than 2 weeks in attempts to restore the peace process with Taliban which fell apart last year.

Speaking to press, Afghan President Ashraaf Ghani, said,

“The fundamental issue here is the choice: choose peace or terrorism. There will be no tolerance for terrorism."

IS massacre of minorities is a genocide says Hillary

Dec 29, 2015
The US democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton said she believed the Islamic State's massacre of minorities, including the Christian community and the Yazidis constituted a "genocide", reported AP and CNN.

Ms Clinton made this comment when she attended a campaign event in New Hampshire on Tuesday evening and was asked by a member of the audience, "Will you join those leaders, faith leaders and secular leaders and political leaders from both the right and the left, in calling what is happening by its proper name: Genocide?"

"I will because we now have enough evidence," Ms Clinton replied, adding that "What is happening is genocide, deliberately aimed at destroying not only the lives but wiping out the existence of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East in territory controlled by ISIS."

Nigeria says ready to negotiate with Boko Haram over kidnapped school girls

Dec 29, 2015
The Nigerian government on Wednesday said that it would be prepared to negotiate with Boko Haram in order to ensure the release of over 200 school girls who were kidnapped in April 2014.

"We are prepared to negotiate with them without any preconditions," the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari was quoted as saying by Reuters.

US expresses concern over arrest of journalists using anti-terror legislation in Ethiopia

Dec 29, 2015
The White House expressed concern regarding the arrest of journalists in Ethiopia using anti-terror legislation in a statement on Wednesday.

The National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price said,

“We are deeply concerned by the recent arrests of other journalists. We urge the Ethiopian government to release journalists and all others imprisoned for exercising their right to free expression, to refrain from using its Anti-Terrorism Proclamation as a mechanism to silence dissent.”
Catalan parties elect new regional head to take movement forward
Syrian govt agrees to allow aid into Madaya says UN
Wall Street down as Chinese markets suspended
CAR UN peacekeepers face new sexual abuse charges
U.S. 'deeply disappointed' that Rwandan president will seek third term
Vatican officially recognises Palestine
Afghan president seeks to restore Taliban peace process in new year
IS massacre of minorities is a genocide says Hillary
Nigeria says ready to negotiate with Boko Haram over kidnapped school girls
US expresses concern over arrest of journalists using anti-terror legislation in Ethiopia