WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Rwandan genocide memorial in Nyamata (Fanny Schertzer) German prosecutors have arrested a German-Rwandan national on suspicion of complicity in genocide and 25 counts of murder during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. The suspect, identified only as Innocent S. under German privacy rules, was arrested in the central German state of Hesse on Wednesday. According to Reuters,…

UN Sec-Gen calls for probe into chemical weapons usage in Syria

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon outlined plans into a further investigation into allegations of chemical weapons attacks in the Syria’s 4 year conflict.

Ban Ki Moon, in a letter to the UN Security Council, outlined plans for the UN and Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to conduct an investigation into allegations of chemical weapons usage in Syria.

US warns South Sudanese leaders over peace accord

The US has warned South Sudan's president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar  not to violate the peace deal signed on Wednesday.

State Department spokesperson John Kirby said the US would "hold to account" those who breach the peace deal and would support sanctions against them, the BBC reported.

Mr Kirby said the US did not "recognise any separate reservations made about the agreement", made by President Kiir.

"To end the fighting we call on all parties to adhere to the permanent ceasefire within the next 72 hours and begin the process of implementing this agreement," he added.

Warring sides in Syria agree two day ceasefire

Syrian rebels, the Syrian army and the Lebanese Hezbollah agreed a 2 day ceasefire in 3 conflict regions near Lebanon’s border reports Reuters.

The rebel-held town of Zabadani has been the main focus of an offensive by Hezbollah and the Syrian army who are fighting against the Syrian rebels.

South Sudan signs peace deal

South Sudan’s president signed a peace deal on Wednesday that sought to end the 20 month conflict with rebels reports Reuters.

Speaking to African leaders in Juba Nigeria, President Salva Kir said,

“With all those reservations that we have, we will sign this document.”

South Sudan military offensive committed grave atrocities finds UN

South Sudanese soldiers raped children, burned people alive in their houses and hunted others for days using and $850 million military budget said the UN panel of experts monitoring the region on Tuesday.

The UN panel of experts into the conflict in South Sudan found that the government offensive between April and July t

North Korea expresses regret over death of South Korea soldiers

North Korea expressed regret over a landmine incident that wounded South Korean Soldiers this month.

A joint statement issued by South Korea and North Korea after a weekend of talks in response to escalating violence, added that South Korea had agreed to stop anti-north propaganda broadcasts.

Red Cross suspends work in Yemen after offices raided by gunman

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was temporarily stopping all operations in the city of Aden in Yemen, after a gunman entered its office, reports Reuters.

The ICRC, which had earlier this month warned of the escalating violence and lawlessness in the region, is one of the few aid agencies in the area after violence erupted between pro government forces backed by the Saudi government, and the Houthi forces. 

Guatemala court in genocide ruling for former dictator

A Guatemalan court says former dictator Efrain Rios Montt can stand trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, but ruled that he cannot be sentenced because the 89-year-old suffers from dementia.

NGOs accuse Islamic State of using chemical weapons

Islamic State militants may have used chemical weapons in an attack in Syria said Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) on Tuesday.

The organisation said that it had treated four civilians who suffered from breathing difficulties after a shell hit their home on Friday.

Former KLA political head endorses war crimes court in Kosovo

Kosovo's foreign minister, and former head of the Kosovo Liberation Army's political wing, Hashim Thaci, endorsed the establishment of a war crimes court to investigate crimes committed by the KLA during the 1990s conflict with Serbia.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, published on Tuesday, Mr Thaci, he had “nothing to hide” and would cooperate with the court “in any circumstance and any form needed”.

“I very much hope that no one will try to rewrite history, to try to draw parallels or equate the genocide perpetrated by Serbia with individual acts of some desperate citizens,” Mr Thaci told the WSJ. See here for more.