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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)…

Two detained over PKK deaths

Two men have been arrested over the killings of three Kurdish activists in Paris earlier this month.

French media reported that both men were born in Turkey and one was the driver for one of the women.

Le Point reported that one of the arrested was the last person to see the women before their deaths.

The three women, all activists linked to the PKK, were found on January 10 at an office, linked to the Kurdish movement.

Colombia warns Farc over truce end

The Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos has warned Farc not to return to violence once its unilateral ceasefire expires on Sunday.

The rebel group declared the ceasefire in November, ahead of peace talks, although the Colombian government refused to reciprocate the move and continued attacks on rebel positions.

The president said the army was prepared for any upsurge in violence but urged Farc not to commit any "terrorist attacks".

Court rules Italian marines can be tried in India for fishermen killings

India's Supreme Courty ruled on Friday, that the country has the jurisdiction to try two Italian marines charged with the deaths of two fishermen, however, a special feveral court must be set up as the Kerala state courts do not have the authority to adjudicate in the case.

In February 2012, two fishermen were killed off the coast of Kerala by members of a military security team who allege they mistook the fishermen for pirates.

No more settlement removals pledges Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged that he will not dismantle any Jewish settlements in the West Bank if he wins another term in next week’s elections.

"The days when bulldozers uprooted Jews are behind us, not in front of us." he told Israel's Maariv newspaper.

"We haven't uprooted any settlements, we have expanded them,

"Nobody has any lessons to give me about love for the Land of Israel or commitment to Zionism and the settlements."

Massive crowd in Turkey mourns Kurdish activists slain in Paris


Tens of thousands of people gathered Thursday in the city of Diyarbakir, southern Turkey, to mourn the deaths of three Kurdish activists murdered in Paris last week, an outpouring that some said was the largest political gathering that Turkish authorities had ever allowed the Kurds to stage.

Fidan Dogan, Leyla Söylemez and Sakine Cansız, one of the founders of the separatist Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), were killed by execution-style shootings last week.

Ban apologises for Serbia war song played at UN concert

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has apologised for the performance of a Serbian song linked to the Srebrenica massacres, at a concert in the UN General Assembly at New York on Monday.

The concert saw a performance from the Viva Vox choir from Serbia who performed “March of the Drina”, a song originally written to praise Serbian troops killed in World War I, but since used as a Serb nationalist anthem during the Bosnian War. The song’s lyrics depict Bosnia’s main river, the Drina, stating “Near cold water/Blood was flowing/Blood was streaming: By the Drina was freedom!”.

The performance received a standing ovation from Ban Ki Moon and other UN officials.

The Congress of North American Bosniaks, The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada, the Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian American Genocide Institute and Education Cente wrote to Ban saying,
"The genocide that occurred in Srebrenica and Zepa, and other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was conducted by Serbian aggressors while blasting this song as they raped, murdered, and ethnically cleansed the non-Serb population".
Ban’s spokesman Martin Nesirky has since said,
"We sincerely regret that people were offended by this song… The Secretary-General obviously was not aware what the song was about or the use that has been made of it in the past."

Burmese military to stop offensive against rebels

The Burmese military has announced that it will end attacks on rebels in the northern state of Kachin after thousands of civilians were displaced by a recent intensification of conflict.

The decision was announced hours after Burma's parliament passed a resolution on Friday to end the fighting.

The military's commander-in-chief had agreed to the president's command “not to carry out offensive attacks except in self-defence”, the government said in a statement.

ICC to investigate Mali war crimes

The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court has formally opened a case into war crimes in Mali from January 2012, it was annoucned earlier today.

Stating that she believes there is a "reasonable basis" that crimes such as murder, rape, torture and intentionally directing attacks against protected objects, prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said,

“Since the beginning of the armed conflict in January 2012, the people of Northern Mali have been living in profound turmoil,”

Clinton concerned over Laos activist

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has expressed concern over the disappearance of Laotian civil society activist Sombath Somphone and has urged Laos to conduct a “transparent investigation”.

"We call upon the Lao government to pursue a transparent investigation of this incident and to do everything in its power to bring about an immediate and safe return home to his family," Clinton said in a statement.

Human rights groups in the country said they fear he was abducted by pro-government forces.

Somalian govt recognised by US after 21 years

For the first time since 1991, the US has decided to recognise the Government of Somalia.

The decision came during a visit by the Somalian president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to the US State Department on Thursday.

Making the announcement, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said the decision was made in response to efforts made by the government towards stability over the past year.

In a statement, the US State Dept, said:

"In 2012, after more than a decade of transitional governments, Somalia completed its political transition process. This culminated in a new provisional constitution, a new parliament, and the election by that parliament of Mr. Hassan Sheikh as Somalia's president. In recognizing the Government of Somalia, the United States is committing to sustained diplomatic engagement with the Somali authorities. While we maintain responsibility for U.S. engagement in Somalia through our personnel in the Somalia Unit, led by Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, and co-located with the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, we have increased our travel to Somalia over the last six months and plan to establish an even more robust presence there as security permits. In addition, recognition removes an obstacle to Somali participation in certain foreign assistance programs, including security sector programs like International Military and Education Training and Foreign Military Financing.