Egyptian leaders hold high hopes of a win for the new constitution, as voters turned out in large numbers, in what have been described as peaceful polls, on a referendum on the draft constitution. With a higher turnout than expected, Mr Morsi predicted a win for the ratification of the constitution, shortly after polls closed at 11pm on Saturday. The Muslim Brotherhood said that so far ballots were running 59% in favour of the constitution in about 86% of polling stations. However main opposition strongholds of Cairo and Alexandria are yet to be counted. The proposed constitution has caused...
The Russian foreign ministry has denied that its position on Syria has changed after comments by deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov were interpreted as such. "The well-known claim of the Syrian opposition and its external sponsors predicting 'a quick victory over the authorities in Damascus' was quoted," said a ministry spokesperson. "In this context, Mr Bogdanov reiterated Russia's principal position - that there is no alternative to a political resolution in Syria based on the Action Group for Syria, agreed in Geneva on 30 June."
Ukraine's parliament broke out in a brawl for the second day running, after voting was held to decide whether to reinstate the country's Prime Minister. Scuffles between government and opposition law makers broke out, after parliamentarians darted around the chamber pressing voting buttons for absent coleagues. Lawmakers then clambered pver desks as fisticuffs ensued, with world boxing champion and newly-elected parliamentarian Vitali Klitschko, staying well out of the fighting. See a video from the Telegraph below. The raucus comes after the October polls in the country were widley criticsed...
British Prime Minister David Cameron has pushed EU leaders to discuss a commitment to arming or providing logistical military support to Syrian rebels at a European foreign ministers meeting on 31st January. In what has been described as a major diplomatic victory for Cameron, the EU has instructed its foreign ministers "to work on all options to support and help the opposition and to enable greater support for the protection of civilians" and that the EU should work for "political transition... towards a future without President Assad and his illegitimate regime".
Russia has for the first time accepted that opposition rebels in Syria may defeat the current government around Bashar al-Assad. Deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that Assad’s forces are “losing more and more control and territory”. “Unfortunately, we cannot rule out the victory of the Syrian opposition," "If such a price for ousting the president seems acceptable to you, then what can we do? We consider it unacceptable," Mr Bogdanov said. Russia is one of the strongest backers of Assad and has used its veto power in the Security Council to block resolutions condemning the...
A memorial dedicated to Kurdish victims of the Halabja genocide, where tens of thousands were killed by chemical weapons, has been unanimously approved by the Hague City Council. The memorial, proposed by the Halabja Memorial Committee, is planned to be placed near the building of the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons), with Harry van Bommel, an MP from the Socialist Party saying , “For many years [since 2008] there were attempts to create a monument for a respectable memorial of the victims of the horrible poison attacks by Saddam Hussein… Now, it finally is here,...
Two Reuters cameramen were assaulted by Israeli soldiers in Hebron, West Bank on Wednesday, reports Reuters. The soldiers punched the cameramen, forced them to strip in the street and let off a tear gas canister in front of them, leaving one of the victims in need of hospital treatment. Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Avital Leibovich said that "the regional brigade commander was ordered to open an investigation," but no further information will be provided until the investigation is complete. The victims, Yousri al Jamal and Ma’amoun Wazwaz said that they had been stopped by a foot...
Sudan may face more charges for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur, announced the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda. Fatou Bensouda told the United Nations Security Council that war crimes including bombings, bombardments, the blocking of humanitarian aid and direct attacks on civilian populations, continued to be committed by Sudan. The Security Council ambassadors requested strong efforts to arrest indicted war criminal Al-Bashir and several others to trial. “ The failure of the government of Sudan to implement the five arrest...
Israel will withold Palestinian funds in the form of tax revenues from the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in response to the state's UN observer status bid. Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said: " The Palestinians can forget about getting even one cent in the coming four months, and in four months' time we will decide how to proceed ," "Israel is not prepared to accept unilateral steps by the Palestinian side, and anyone who thinks they will achieve concessions and gains this way is wrong,"
A former Bosnian Serb General has been found guilty of genocide and sentenced to life at the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Zdravko Tolimir, who is said to have been the ‘right hand’ of Ratko Mladic, who used to be the head of intelligence, was convicted for his involvement in the Srebrenica killing, where over 7,000 Bosniak men and boys were massacred by Serb forces. "The accused not only had knowledge of genocidal intent of others but also possessed it himself," said Presiding Judge Christoph Fluegge. "He is therefore responsible for the crime of genocide." Gen Tolimir was reporting...