Results through on Tuesday showed that voters in Egypt voted overwhelmingly in favour of the constitution drafted by President Mohamed Mursi and his allies. According to the final elections commissions figures, 63.8% of votes were cast in support of it. Speaking to Reuters, Murad Ali of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said : "I hope all national powers will now start working together now to build a new Egypt." "I see this as the best constitution in Egypt's history." Soon after the announcement, protesters who have rallied against the constitution took the streets once...
Russian president Vladimir Putin has unveiled the final part of its pipeline to the Pacific Ocean. The new pipeline will help Russia expand sales to Asia and is also expected to increase sales to the US. "The American market will receive 35 per cent of Kozmino oil," Nikolai Tokarev, the head of Transneft state oil pipeline operator, said at the opening. "Around 30 per cent will go to Japan and 28 per cent to China." Tokarev did not calm European fears about continued supplies from Russia, as he dismissed offering Europe any assurances about receiving oil. "We do not owe a single EU country a...
Six people were killed in a shooting at a church in the northeast of Nigeria early on Tuesday reports Reuters . For the third consecutive year, a deadly attack has been carried out on Christmas services in Nigeria. Although security forces pledged to protect churches this year, unknown gunmen attempting to attack the town of Potiskum were repelled by troops and instead attacked a church in a village called Jiri as they fled. The Islamist militant group Boko Haram is believed to be responsible for the attacks, as a continuation of their campaign to impose sharia law in northern Nigeria.
The UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has held talks with besieged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in efforts to stem violence in the country, whilst alleged attacks by government forces continued. After meeting with Assad on Monday, Brahimi said , "I had the honour to meet the president and as usual we exchanged views on the many steps to be taken in the future," "Assad expressed his views on the situation and I told him about my meetings with leaders in the region and outside." He went on to express hope that “all parties are in favour of a solution that draws Syrian people...
Russia and India have signed new weapons deals worth billions of dollars, during a visit to Delhi by Russian president Vladimir Putin. Indian Premier Manmohan Singh and Putin signed a $1.6billion deal for 46 Sukhoi fighter jets, which will be assembled in India from Russian parts. The two leaders also signed a $1.3billion dollar for 71 Mil Mi-17 military helicopters. "We agreed to further strengthen the traditions of close co-operation in the military and technical areas," Mr Putin said in New Delhi.
Palestinian militants in Gaza violated laws of war when launching rockets during their conflict with Israel, asserted the US based human rights organisation, Human Rights Watch (HRW). HRW's Middle East Director, Sarah Leah Whitson, said , “Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim. There is simply no legal justification for launching rockets at populated areas,” Human Rights Watch research found that certain militant groups in Gaza repeatedly fired rockets into densely populated residential areas and unnecessarily putting civilians at risk. A...
India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pledged to strengthen their economic and strategic relationship during a meeting held in Delhi earlier this week to mark 20 years of India -ASEAN ties. With the aim of doubling free trade over the next decade, the two sides finalised a fair trade agreement in services and investments, ensuring that business professionals can travel easily between nations, as well as agreeing to work towards increased "maritime security cooperation." Describing the move as "transformational", India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said : “I am...
The United States has released a statement calling on states to do more to arrest Rwandan genocide fugitives, after the UN’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) sentenc ed a former Rwandan Minister last week. In a statement released after the sentencing, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said, “We urge all countries to redouble their cooperation with the ICTR so that fugitives can be arrested. Those who harbor fugitives obstruct justice and stand on the wrong side of history. ” Speaking on the sentencing of Augustin Ngirabatware, Nuland said, “The United States...
An air strike in Syria's Hama province on Sunday has killed dozens of people queueing for bread from a bakery, reports Reuters . If the initial death toll of 90 is confirmed, the attack would be one of the deadliest air strikes in the Syrian civil war. Activists uploaded videos showing dozens of blood-stained bodies among piles of rubble and shrapnel. Rami Abdelrahman, of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said: "It is still very unclear what the casualties are ... From looking at the videos I expect the death toll to be around or above 50, and not higher than 100. But for now I am...
The Central African Republic’s third largest city has fallen to rebels who are fighting to overthrow President Francois Bozize. The southern city of Bambari was taken by a coalition known as Seleka, a day after regional leaders called on the rebels to withdraw from cities recently taken and start talks with the government. Seleka’s campaign started a month ago, with the rebels pushing for a release of political prisoners and payment for former fighters, as per a peace deal signed by the government and armed groups in 2007.