WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

In recent weeks Yemen’s Houthi armed group has shot down seven US Reaper drones worth over $200m. The drones destroyed between 31 March and 22 April mark Washington's most significant material loss.  Three of the drones were destroyed in the past week, suggesting an improvement in the Houthis’ ability to strike high-altitude US aircraft.  The drones were conducting surveillance or…

Nicaragua orders UN human rights delegation to leave

The Nicaraguan government has instructed a United Nations human rights delegation to leave following the publication of a report condemning rights violations and repression by the president, Daniel Ortega's regime. 

“Given that the reasons, causes and conditions that gave rise to this invitation have ceased... this Ministry announces that it concludes the invitation and finalises the visit as of August 30," Nicaragua's foreign minister, Denis Moncada wrote in a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' (UNHCHR) regional representative, Marlene Alejos. 

Myanmar rejects UN report on Rohingya genocide as 'false'

Myanmar's government today rejected a report released by the United Nations which calls for an investigation into the genocide of the Rohingya people by Myanmese troops as "false". 

"We didn't allow the FFM (the UN Fact-Finding Mission) to enter into Myanmar, that's why we don't agree and accept any resolutions made by the Human Rights Council," a senior government spokesperson, Zaw Htay was quoted by the state run Global New Light of Myanmar as saying. 

UN report accuses Myanmar of committing genocide against Rohingya

A United Nations report has called for senior figures in Myanmar’s military to face trial for genocide committed against the Rohingya population.

The UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar was set up in March 2017 and headed by Marzuki Darusman who also co-authored the 2011 report produced by a panel of experts on mass atrocities in Sri Lanka.

The report on Myanmar names six senior military figures it believes should go on trial and calls for the case to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Though UN investigators were denied access to Myanmar they interviewed 875 witnesses who had fled the country. 

Prominent Argentina disappearances activist dies after futile 40 year search for disappeared grandchild

A founding member of the Argentinian disappearances activist group, Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, died on Tuesday, aged 95, having never located her disappeared granddaughter despite a 40 year search.

Maria Isabel Chorobik de Mariani, known as “Chicha” Mariani, helped found the group in response to hundreds, and possibly thousands, of children who were abducted during Argentina’s military dictatorship between 1974 and 1983.

Chicha Mariani’s granddaughter, Clara Anahi was snatched from her parents as a three-month-old. Her parents, Chicha Mariani’s son and daughter-in-law, printers of a leftist magazine and critics of state brutality, were murdered by the regime.

Kerala floods leave at least 400 dead, as UAE offers 700 crores for relief

Throughout the past several weeks, the Indian state of Kerala has been disturbed by heavy rain and immense flooding leaving at least 400 people dead.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced 500 crore rupees to the state for relief, but controversy has arisen over an offer from the United Arab Emirates of 700 crores for relief. The UAE, which has over 2 million Indian migrants with many from Kerala, made the offer last week, with Mr Modi, thanking the state for the “gracious offer".

However, a senior Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officer told NDTV, "as of now the centre is not accepting financial help from any foreign country, so the same applies to the offer made by UAE."

Sinn Fein urges Israel football match to be called off

Sinn Fein has called for Northern Ireland's friendly international football match with Israel to be cancelled citing ongoing human rights concerns over the country's "slaughter" of Palestinians. 

"Sinn Fein continue to support the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel under which cultural, academic and sporting links fall," MLA Sinead Ennis said. 

“Therefore, I am once again calling on the IFA to cancel this match and send out a strong signal that the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza, breach of international and human rights abuse won’t be tolerated.”

The match is scheduled to take place on September 11 in Belfast. 

El Salvador ends ties with Taiwan

El Salvador on Tuesday broke ties with Taiwan as it sought to establish diplomatic relations with China, becoming the third Latin American country in two years to do so. 

“Fundamentally, it’s an interest in betting on the growth of our country with one of the world’s most booming economies,” El Salvador's presidential spokesperson, Roberto Lorenzana said in an interview broadcast on Monday. 

“El Salvador can’t turn its back on international reality.”

Taiwan's foreign minister said El Salvador's decision was due to financial investment promised by China, and Taiwan's refusal to fund a port development which it deemed 'unsuitable'. 

Angola asks IMF for bailout talks

Angola has asked the IMF for talks on a bailout, promising more structural reform to the sub-Saharan nation’s economy in return.

A statement from the IMF’s Deputy Managing Director confirmed that Angolan authorities had written to the organisation to initiate discussions on an economic program that could be supported by the IMF’s fund for countries experiencing serious payment imbalances or slow growth and weak balance of payments positions.

German police arrest Kurdish activists over use of YPG flags

Police in Germany have arrested two Kurdish activists over the use of People’s Protection Units (YPG) flags in protests, reports Kurdistan 24.

The activists, identified as Munich Kurdish Society Center Co-chairs Azad Bingol and Hezwan Abdal, had their houses raided by the State Security branch of the Munich police on Tuesday.

The pair were reportedly held because they were carrying flags of the YPG and the YPJ [Women Protection Units] in protests organised in Germany, which were held in solidarity with Afrin, a Kurdish controlled region in northern Syria that was overrun by Turkish forces earlier this year.

Algerian court hands suspended prison sentence to activist over Facebook post

An Algerian diaspora activist was handed a suspended prison term by an Algerian Court for a 2014 Facebook post criticising government discrimination against a minority group, Human Rights Watch reports.

Salim Yezza was arrested at the Biskra airport as he was about to return to Paris last month.

An investigative judge ordered him held in Ghardaia prison on July 16. The first instance court in Ghardaia sentenced him to the suspended prison sentence and a 100,000-dinar fine (US$840) on charges of inciting a public gathering.