United States have pledged $135 million to Libya's new leaders and former rebels in the National Transitional Council, for humanitarian aid and military equipment. Weaponry has already been provided by other countries, including France and Qatar. The pledge was announced by the US Secretary of State, Hiliary Clinton, during her short visit of the country on Tuesday. Addressing an Islamic conference in Tripoli, Clinton remarked, “ I am proud to stand here on the soil of a free Libya .” Meeting Libya's NTC and interim prime minister, Mahmoud Jibril, Clinton discussed the on-going fighting with...
Serbs in northern Kosovo have defied a deadline set by NATO to remove illegal barricades in towns on the border to Serbia. Hundreds of Serbs gathered to protect the roadblocks from KFOR peacekeeping troops. "I am disappointed with this outcome," NATO's top commander in Kosovo, Maj. Gen. Erhard Drews, said in a statement. "The north did not comply with the request to remove the roadblocks." Serb politicians stressed, no action will be taken before a high level meeting to discuss a solution to the ongoing dispute on Wednesday. Drews said that NATO will await the outcome of this meeting, before...
A majority of British voters outside Scotland back Scottish independence, a poll published Sunday found. The ComRes poll for The Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror newspapers showed that support for Scotland's independence has risen sharply in recent months. Some 39% of adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland thought Scotland should become an independent state (up six points since May), while 38% disagree (down 4 points). Within Scotland, 49% agree (up 11%), while 37% disagree (down 9%). Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond's Scottish National Party (SNP), which advocates...
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called for the violence in Syria to be stopped immediately. Speaking to reporters in Bern he said "There are continuous killings of civilian people. These killings must stop immediately. I told Assad: 'Stop before it is too late.' It is unacceptable that 3,000 people have been killed. The UN is urging him again to take urgent action." His request came as renewed clashes in the city of Homs killed 27 people, mostly civilians. A total of 41 people were killed in the whole of Syria on Monday alone. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay warned during the weekend...
UK Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham, expressed 'disappointment' at Malawi's refusal to arrest Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, who arrived in the country on Monday. In a statement, Bellingham said, “I am disappointed that Malawi hosted President Bashir of Sudan today [14th October] in defiance of International Criminal Court arrest warrants for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. “ The British government expects the Government of Malawi to stand by its obligations under the Rome Statute, and as a UN member state. "The Government of Malawi has committed itself to full...
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, urged Malawi to arrest the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes and genocide charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Speaking at a lecture in Johannesburg, Pillay said, " I call on governments and remind them of their legal obligations, and I am disappointed when they do not keep up their obligations. " An arrest warrant was issued for Bashir, by the ICC, in 2008. See Outrage at Malawi's refusal to arrest Bashir
British Foreign Secretary William Hague has criticised Israel’s plans to expand its settlement in East Jerusalem, just days after both the European Union and United Nations condemned the move. In a statement released Sunday, Hague said he was “dismayed” by Israel’s announcement to build 2,600 new homes in the settlement of Givat Hamatos and to legalise housing in West Bank outposts. “This provocative step, which further encloses East Jerusalem, is particularly disappointing given the international condemnation of the expansion of the Mordot Gilo settlement just a few weeks ago. Settlements...
Syria has escaped suspension from the Arab League at an emergency meeting convened to discuss the crisis at its headquarters in Cairo. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said that the League had decided to work towards national dialogue between the opposing sides. The dialogue, if accepted by both sides, would be held under the auspices of the Arab League and based on the 7-point plan proposed at a League meeting last month. However, both, the Syrian regime and the opposition are said to be unhappy at the proposals. Damascus had already rejected a similar proposal put...
India has praised Burma’s transition to democracy during a visit by Burmese President Thein Sein to New Delhi. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh welcomed recent developments in Burma, including Friday’s release of 200 political prisoners. The neighbours, who share a 1,600 km long border, have agreed deals to expand border trade and cooperation in oil and gas exploration. India extended credit facilities worth £316m for investments in Burmese roads, ports and inland waterways. Indian officials disputed rumours of economic rivalry with China, till date the biggest investor in Burma. "We have...
Guatemalan officials ordered the arrest of former president, Oscar Mejia, on Thursday , on charges of genocide. Police, who have raided 4 houses in an attempt to capture 80-year-old Mejia, have deemed him a fugitive. Mejia is charged with ordering the massacres of Mayan leftist guerilla fighters, during 1982 to 1983, when he served as chief of the military. Mejia's military reign are widely asserted to have corresponded to the war's bloodiest years. He later led a military coup agaist then dictator Efrain Rios Montt and appointed himself president from 1983 to 1986. In total, 1960-1996 civil...