WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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)…

Warring sides in Syria agree two day ceasefire

Syrian rebels, the Syrian army and the Lebanese Hezbollah agreed a 2 day ceasefire in 3 conflict regions near Lebanon’s border reports Reuters.

The rebel-held town of Zabadani has been the main focus of an offensive by Hezbollah and the Syrian army who are fighting against the Syrian rebels.

South Sudan signs peace deal

South Sudan’s president signed a peace deal on Wednesday that sought to end the 20 month conflict with rebels reports Reuters.

Speaking to African leaders in Juba Nigeria, President Salva Kir said,

“With all those reservations that we have, we will sign this document.”

NGOs accuse Islamic State of using chemical weapons

Islamic State militants may have used chemical weapons in an attack in Syria said Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) on Tuesday.

The organisation said that it had treated four civilians who suffered from breathing difficulties after a shell hit their home on Friday.

North Korea expresses regret over death of South Korea soldiers

North Korea expressed regret over a landmine incident that wounded South Korean Soldiers this month.

A joint statement issued by South Korea and North Korea after a weekend of talks in response to escalating violence, added that South Korea had agreed to stop anti-north propaganda broadcasts.

Red Cross suspends work in Yemen after offices raided by gunman

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was temporarily stopping all operations in the city of Aden in Yemen, after a gunman entered its office, reports Reuters.

The ICRC, which had earlier this month warned of the escalating violence and lawlessness in the region, is one of the few aid agencies in the area after violence erupted between pro government forces backed by the Saudi government, and the Houthi forces. 

Former KLA political head endorses war crimes court in Kosovo

Kosovo's foreign minister, and former head of the Kosovo Liberation Army's political wing, Hashim Thaci, endorsed the establishment of a war crimes court to investigate crimes committed by the KLA during the 1990s conflict with Serbia.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, published on Tuesday, Mr Thaci, he had “nothing to hide” and would cooperate with the court “in any circumstance and any form needed”.

“I very much hope that no one will try to rewrite history, to try to draw parallels or equate the genocide perpetrated by Serbia with individual acts of some desperate citizens,” Mr Thaci told the WSJ. See here for more.

South Sudan military offensive committed grave atrocities finds UN

South Sudanese soldiers raped children, burned people alive in their houses and hunted others for days using and $850 million military budget said the UN panel of experts monitoring the region on Tuesday.

The UN panel of experts into the conflict in South Sudan found that the government offensive between April and July t

Guatemala court in genocide ruling for former dictator

A Guatemalan court says former dictator Efrain Rios Montt can stand trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, but ruled that he cannot be sentenced because the 89-year-old suffers from dementia.

World markets plummet as China stops supporting slowing Asian market

World stock markets plummeted with a sharp drop in the US dollar and major commodities, as China failed to mitigate sliding confidence in its domestic stock market on Monday.

Lifting of Iran sanctions possible by next spring says UK

Sanctions placed on Iran could be lifted by next spring, said the UK on Monday, Reuters quoted the country's foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, as saying on Monday.

Mr Hammond who is currently in Tehren to reopen the embassy, and attended the official reopening ceremony this morning, said, "We could be talking as early as next spring to start to see sanctions lifting off."

Recent weeks have seen intense negotiations between the US and Iran over Iran's nuclear programme.