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)…

Human Rights Watch expresses concern over Thailand amnesty bill

Human Rights Watch expressed concern over a bill, proposed by the Thai government, which will grant amnesty to soldiers and officials responsible for deaths in the 2010 upheavals.

On 7th August parliament will discuss a bill that provides amnesty for all protestors charged with causing disturbance with no mention of its stance on military officials involved in violence against protestors.

US extends Middle-East embassy closure

Several US embassies will remain closed over an extended period, after the state department issued a global travel alert warning of an al-Qaeda threat, which will stay in place until the end of August.

A spokesperson for the department said in a press statement:

Given that a number of our embassies and consulates were going to be closed in accordance with local custom and practice for the bulk of the week for the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan, and out of an abundance of caution, we've decided to extend the closure of several embassies and consulates including a small number of additional posts.

US offers Iran “willing partnership”

The White House has offered Iran a “willing partnership” after the inauguration of the new president Hassan Rouhani.

Jay Carney, the White House spokesperson, said Rouhani's inauguration "presents an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community's deep concerns over Iran's nuclear programme".

AU declares Zimbabwean elections free and fair

The African Union (AU) observer mission monitoring the Zimbabwean elections has declared the process free, fair and credible.

Head of the mission, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, concluded that the will of the Zimbabwean people had been expressed despite minor problems.

The African Union judgement comes amidst various calls of fraud in the Zimbabwean elections.

Zimbabwe opposition supporters "attacked"

Supporters of the main opposition party in Zimbabwe have claimed to have been attacked after President Mugabe's election victory.

Zanu-PF supporters are alleged to have attacked members of the MDC, whose leader Morgan Tsvangirai is disputing the results of the election.

Read more here.

Telangana sparks protests

India's decision to create a new state of Telangana has sparked protests in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Protests resulting in the closing of schools, colleges and business are in their third day, whilst a total of 36 legislators have resigned outraged at the state's splitting into two. In Kurnool, anti-Telangana protesters attacked a statue of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. See here.

Controversy over Mugabe victory

Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president of over thirty years, has been re-elected on a landslide victory on Saturday.

While international commentators voiced concern over the fairness of the election, defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa told AFP:

"The West will now have to climb down, they must find a ladder and climb down... A democratic election has taken place in Zimbabwe,"

Syrian rebels to face UN investigation

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has called for investigations into atrocities alleged to have been committed by Syrian rebels.

The call comes after footage emerged of executions of captured Syrian soldiers in Khan al-Assal in July.
Pillay said the images were shocking and those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law on all sides have to be held accountable.

Kerry pledges to end Pakistani drone strikes ‘soon’

The US Secretary of State John Kerry has pledged to end drione strike on militants in Pakistan “very, very soon”, on the last day of his visit to the country.

"I think the programme will end as we have eliminated most of the threat and continue to eliminate it," Mr Kerry said in a television interview.

"The president has a very real timeline and we hope it's going to be very, very soon," he said.

System Of A Down call for genocide affirmation in the U.S

The lead singer of the Grammy Award winning rock band, System Of A Down, Serj Tankian, challenged a full capacity crowd, at one of their Hollywood Bowl concerts, to imagine a world in which those who claim to speak for the international community remained silent on the Holocaust, as they do with various other genocides.