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…

Trump vetoes bill to end US involvement in Yemen

<p>President Donald Trump has vetoed a bill passed in Congress to invoke the “War Powers Resolution” to try and end US assistance to Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.</p> <p>This move came on Wednesday with Congress lacking the power to override his decision. The US House approved the resolution earlier this month on a 247-175 vote and lost in the Senate last month with votes tallying 54-46.&nbsp;</p> <p>Rosiland Jordan, Al Jazeera journalist, reports that at least two Democratic congressmen were calling to override Trump’s veto.</p> <p>She further states:</p> <blockquote><p>

Peru’s former President shoots himself as police attempt to arrest him

<p>Peru’s former President, Alan Garcia shot himself in the neck after police arrived at his home in the capital Lima to arrest him in connection to an investigation into the largest public scam in Latin America.</p> <p>Garcia was immediately taken to the Casimiro Ulloa hospital where he was said to be undertaking emergency surgery and in a critical condition.&nbsp;</p> <p>His lawyer, Erasmo Reyna, described his position as “delicate” and told journalists,</p> <p>“Right now he’s being operated on. Let’s pray to God to give him strength”.</p>

Israel court orders deportation of Human Rights Watch official

<p>The Jerusalem District Court upheld the Israeli government’s order to deport Omar Shakir, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) Israel and Palestine director.</p> <p>The court’s ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by HRW and Shakir in May 2018 to challenge the Israeli government’s decision to revoke Shakir’s work permit.</p> <p>The court cited that Shakir has continuously called for boycotts of Israel as well as citing his student activism from 2006 before he joined HRW.</p>

Germany commits to the largest repatriation of its indigenous Aboriginal Australians

<p>Germany is returning the remains of 53 Aboriginals ancestors to Australia this month in what has been described by Australian officials as the “largest” repatriation of indigenous people.</p> <p>The skulls and bones of Aboriginal Australians were taken from Australia in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries and placed in museums across the world. These remains were displayed in museums to promote the idea of eugenics and continued for over 150 years.</p> <p>The native aboriginals were initially displaced by European settlers over two centuries ago with thousands being massacred.</p>

Over 120 arrests made at London climate change protests

More than 120 climate change activists have been arrested for blocking roads in central London since yesterday.

Thousands joined the protests across London where campaigners blocked roads and vandalised Shell’s headquarters in London.

Shell Action

Photograph: Extinction Rebellion

Most of those arrested have been detained on suspicion of public order offences while some have been held on suspicion of criminal damage at Shell’s headquarters.

Former British soldier charged with 1972 murder of an Irish teen

<p>A former British soldier is to be charged with the murder of a fifteen-year-old Irish teen in Londonderry during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.</p> <p>Daniel Hegarty was the fifteen-year-old teenager who was shot twice in the head during an Army operation near his home in the Cretan in July 1972.</p> <p>The soldier referred to as Soldier B, is also facing a second charge of wounding with intent to kill the teenager’s cousin. Christopher Hegarty, Daniel’s cousin, was also shot in the head but survived.</p> <p>A 2011 inquiry into this death found that Daniel Hegarty posed no risk and was shot without warning during Operation Motorman.</p>

Amnesty International urges the UK not to extradite Assange to the US

<p>Amnesty International has released a statement urging the UK government to not extradite Julian Assange to the United States “or anywhere he could face the death penalty, torture or other ill-treatment.”</p> <p>Assange was arrested on 11 April by London’s Metropolitan Police who claimed to be making the arrest on behalf of the US authorities. The US has charged Assange with helping whistleblower Chelsea Manning hack a government computer in 2010 and steal classified information.</p> <p>Wikileaks cables showed evidence of US war crimes.&nbsp;</p>

Amnesty International calls for an investigation into Sudan’s former head of national intelligence

<p>Following the resignation of Salah Gosh, head of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Amnesty International has called for the new authorities to launch an investigation into the role he played in the recent killing of Sudanese protestors.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p>

ICC rejects request to investigate war crimes in Afghanistan

<p>The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected the request by Fatou Bensouda, the court’s prosecutor, to open an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan since May 1, 2003.</p> <p>The court concluded that the prospect of any investigation and prosecution is extremely limited because the US, Afghan authorities and the Taliban would not cooperate.</p> <p>Despite the refusal to investigate, Bensouda’s office said it will continue to consider all available legal remedies.</p>

German police raid charities with alleged links to Hamas

German police carried out raids of NGOs and charities across the country alleged to have links to Hamas.

Around 90 properties in ten states were searched, targeted for allegations of providing “financial and propaganda” to the Palestinian organisation which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the European Union and the United States.

"Whoever supports Hamas under the mantle of providing humanitarian aid disregards the fundamental values of our constitution," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said. "This also discredits the commitment of the many aid organizations that have committed themselves to neutrality under difficult circumstances."