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)…

Israel denies entry to UN inquiry team

Israel has denied entry to a UN inquiry team mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) against the Palestinian people in Gaza earlier this year.

Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Emmanuel Nachshon, was quoted by the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, as saying the decision to stop the team from entering was made "in view of the [UN Human Rights] Council’s obsessive hostility toward Israel, the committee’s one-sided mandate and committee chairman William Schabas’ declared anti-Israeli positions."

"[The committee is] a pretense that some inquiry is being held before the conclusions are published,” he added.

“While Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israel, the UN’s Human Rights Council made a decision stating Israel’s guilt in advance and set up a probe as a rubber stamp for its known positions."

Myanmar reforms backsliding warns Obama

The US President Barack Obama warned this week that Myanmar's democratic reforms has slowed down and were even backsliding in an interview with Irrawady.

"Progress has not come as fast as many had hoped when the transition began four years ago. In some areas there has been a slowdown in reforms, and even some steps backward. Former political prisoners continue to face restrictions," Obama said, highlighting the attacks against Rohingya Muslims by extremist Buddhist groups.

ICC chief prosecutor warns UN Security Council of war crimes in Libya

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said that there were indications of war crimes being committed amidst the escalating violence in Libya.

Speaking at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Fatou Bensouda, noted that the last 6 months of conflict in Libya had seen signs of war crimes, reports Aljazeera.

“There are, indeed, indications that crimes that fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court are being committed,” said Bensouda on Tuesday.

Armenia vows 'grave consequences' after Azerbaijan shoots down helicopter

Armenia's defence minister has vowed Azerbaijan would suffer “grave consequences” for downing an Armeninan helicopter in the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan's defence ministry said that an Armenian helicopter had “attempted to attack Azeri positions.” All three crew members on board the helicopter were killed once Azeri forces shot it down.

Armenia's defence minister Artsrun Hovhannisyan responded to the downing by saying,

Serbian war crimes suspect receives hero's welcome

Serbian politician Vojislav Seselj was greeted by hundreds of supporters in Belgrade on Wednesday, as he vowed to overthrow “Serbian traitors” on his return.

Seselj, who has been released temporarily from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague to receive cancer treatment, said on his return,
"They say it is temporary... But it will be temporary only until we overthrow from power (President) Tomislav Nikolic and (Prime Minister) Aleksandar Vucic, our renegades and Serbian traitors."
Seselj, founder and president of the Serbian Radical Party, went on to say that the Serbian politicians in power had "sold our honour and gave up Serb nationalism to become servants of the West".

Russian troops are entering Ukraine says NATO, as ceasefire collapses

Russian troops and military convoys are entering Ukraine said a senior NATO commander on Wednesday, signalling the collapse of a ceasefire between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels.

"Russian tanks, Russian artillery, Russian air defence systems and Russian combat troops" have been seen, said US General Philip Breedlove, from a NATO air base near Naples.

The Reuters news agency quoted Breedlove as saying he was "concerned about the increased movement" of Russian military convoys "in the past several days".

Earlier this week, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) warned of the "rising" risk of renewed open conflict.

Britain launches first drone strikes in Iraq

Britain's Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that it had launched its first drone strikes in Iraq against Islamic State (IS) militants this weekend.

An RAF Reaper fired a Hellfire missile at IS militants who were reportedly laying improvised explosive devices in Bayji, north of Baghdad.

The MoD said,
"A series of coalition missions were conducted near Bayji, north of Baghdad, where ISIL terrorists were laying improvised explosive devices.”

"UK Reaper continued to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assistance to coalition aircraft which enabled them to conduct further strikes.”
Britain last month announced that it has authorised the use of spy planes and armed drones to fly surveillance missions over Syria.

UN Secretary-General appoints board to investigate Gaza attacks

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has announced a five-member panel who will investigate attacks on UN buildings during Israel's offensive into Gaza this summer.

The appointment of the panel has been opposed by Israel, who have called on the Secretary-General to wait until the conclusion of its own government inquiry.

The UN board of inquiry will be led by Patrick Cammaert, a Dutch general who has led several peacekeeping missions, and includes UN officials from Argentina, Canada, India and the United States.

According to a statement from the Secretary-General's office,  the inquiry will review and investigate a number of specific incidents in which death or injuries occurred at, and/or damage was done to United Nations premises,” as well as”incidents in which weapons were found to be present on United Nations premises.”

“The Secretary-General expects that the Board will enjoy the full cooperation of all parties concerned,” concluded the statement.

South Sudan clashes erupt days after ceasefire

Rebel forces have clashed with government troops in South Sudan, only days after a ceasefire was agreed to end fighting.

Troops clashed in Upper Nile, Jonglei and Unity states, with both sides blaming each other for restarting hostilities.

A rebel spokesperson said that government soldiers attacked their positions, including oil fields under rebel control, however the government accused rebels of launching attacks first.

HRW criticises incendiary weapon use in Syria and Ukraine

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for stronger international laws to govern the use of incendiary weapons in a report released in collaboration with Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic on Tuesday.

The report highlighted the use of incendiary weapons in both Syria and Ukraine, with Bonnie Docherty, senior Arms researcher at Human Rights Watch, saying,
“Weapons that cause terrible burns and disfigure survivors have been used against towns in both Syria and Ukraine... The recent attacks with incendiary weapons show it’s past time for nations to reassess and strengthen international law on these cruel weapons.”
White phosphorus and ground-launched weapons should also be regulated by stronger international laws said HRW, adding “an absolute ban on incendiary weapons would have the greatest humanitarian benefits.”