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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)…

Syria is ‘open threat’ – Erdogan

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has told parliament that the military rules of engagement with Syria have changed and it will view Syrian troops approaching the border as a threat, after a Turkish plane was downed after mistakenly crossing Syrian airspace.

Mr Erdogan described Syria as a “clear and present” threat.

“A short-term border violation can never be a pretext for an attack,"

UK cuts aid to Uganda over rights concerns

Thirty percent of UK direct aid to the Ugandan government will by cut due to concerns over government corruption and the country's increasingly intolerant stance towards homosexuality.

In a statement the Department for International Development (DFID) said,

The UK Government is at the forefront of work to promote human rights around the world, and regularly lobbies governments which violate those rights."

Muslim Brotherhood's Mursi wins presidency - Egypt

Mohammed Mursi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, was announced as the winner of Egypt's contentious presidential election on Sunday.

Beating rival, and former Mubarak ere Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, with 51.73% of the vote, Mursi was declared the winner by the Higher Presidential Election Commission. Shafiq obtained 48.27% of the vote.

Tens of thousands of Egyptians flocked to Tahrir Square to celebrate his victor, shouting "down with military rule!"

See here, here and here.

In his victory speech, Mursi thanked the "blood, tears and sacrifices" of his fellow Egyptians.

Mursi said,

"Today I am a president for all Egyptians, wherever they may be,"

"Thanks to our unity and our love for each other, we will able to make a respectable future for ourselves."

According to the state-run news channel, Nile News TV, the country's military ruler, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, also congratulated Mursi on his victory.

Libya's former PM extradited from Tunisia

Libya's former prime minister, al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, was extradited to Libya by the Tunisian authorities on Sunday, making him the first senior Gaddafi regime official to be tried for his part in the brutal crackdown of anti-government protesters.

He was arrested in Tunisia in September for entrying the country illegally, after fleeing Libya when Gaddafi's forces lost control of Tripoli. Although his six-month sentence was overturned on appeal, Mahmoudi was remanded in custody after Libya's new leaders requested his extradition.

Senior military figures defect from Syria

High ranking military figures from the Syrian army were part of a group of soldiers that have defected to Turkey, one of the largest to have done so since the start of the conflict.

A general, two colonels, two majors and over 30 soldiers crossed the border into Turkey’s Hatay province on Sunday night.

They were part of a larger group of around 200 people who fled the violence.

Turkey has been supporting the Free Syrian Army openly, and says 12 Syrian generals had already defected.

Syrian Olympic head denied UK visa

The head of the Syrian Olympic Committee, General Mofwak Joumaa, has been refused a visa to the UK, reports The Times on Saturday.

Home Office sources reportedly said the visa was refused due to General Joumaa's senior military rank and links to the Assad regime.

General Joumaa and his delegation of 31 officials had intended to attend the opening ceremony for the London 2012 games next month.

Turkey calls for Nato consultation over warplane shot down by Syria

Turkey has called for a meeting of Nato members to consult over its response to the downing of one of its fighter jets by Syria.

"Turkey has requested consultations under Article 4 of Nato's founding Washington Treaty," Nato spokesperson Oana Lungescu told Reuters.

UN names Congo war crimes suspects

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has named five Congo rebel leaders as war crimes suspects that need to be apprehended.

In a statement released earlier this week, Pillay said,
“The leaders of the M23 figure among the worst perpetrators of human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or in the world for that matter.”

UN experts urge greater action to protect journalists and safeguard media freedom

Two UN Special Rapporteurs have called for greater protection for media professionals, referring to the unacceptably high number of attacks against those disseminating news, including torture, arrests, killings and sexual violence against female journalists.

More protests at Tahrir Square

Tahrir Square became the site of public anger once more on Friday, as tens of thousands of protesters returned to denounce Egypt's military rulers.

Condemning what they state is effectively a military coup, protesters vowed to continue their protests until democracy was achieved.

The results of last weekend's, much disputed, presidential election are due to be announced on Sunday.