WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

German police arrest Rwanda genocide suspect accused of ordering killings
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,…

SNP membership trebles after Scottish independence referendum

Oct 2, 2014
The membership of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has increased three fold since Scotland held a referendum on independence on September 18, making the party the third largest in the UK.

The SNP, which led the call for independence and won the last election campaigning for a independence referendum, now has over 75,000 members.

Clashes break out in Hong Kong as protests continue

Oct 2, 2014
Beijing supporters have clashed with pro-democracy demonstrators in one of Hong Kong's most crowded areas on Friday afternoon, as demonstrations continued.

Scuffles broke out in Kowloon's crowded Mong Kok district with a reported 1,000 Beijing supporters surrounding 100 pro-democracy protestors on Friday afternoon.

See a video from the Telegraph below.

Sweden to officially recognise Palestine

Oct 2, 2014

Sweden will be the first sitting member of the European Union to recognise the state of Palestine.

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced the move during his inaugural speech to the new government.

"The conflict between Israel can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law," he said.

"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful co-existence. Sweden will therefore recognise the state of Palestine."

More UN peacekeepers die in Mali

Oct 2, 2014

Nine peacekeepers with the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (Minusma) have been killed in an attack by heavily armed gunmen.

The attack on the convoy happened between the north-eastern desert towns of Menaka and Ansongo, according to Minusma spokesman Olivier Salgado.

Arnauld Akodjenou, the deputy head of the mission, said he was "horrified" by the "cowardly" attack.

"Once again, lives have now been lost in the name of peace in Mali. These crimes must not go unpunished," he said in the statement.

Catalans push forward with independence referendum

Oct 2, 2014
Leaders in Catalonia have vowed to push forward with plans to hold a referendum on 9 November, despite opposition to the vote from the Spanish government.

The Spanish government declared the vote “illegal”, with Spain's constitutional court stating it was to review the legality of the referendum. The ruling effectively suspended the vote from going ahead, but Catalonia's leader Artur Mas, stated it would take place as planned regardless.

Catalan regional government spokesman Francesc Homs told reporters, "We have agreed to maintain the decree calling the vote so that citizens can exercise their right to vote on November 9."

Islamic State release video purportedly showing British hostage execution

Oct 2, 2014

Islamic State have purportedly executed British aid worker Alan Henning, releasing a video on Friday showing him kneeling beside a militant in a desert setting.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist groups, the one minute, 11-second long video titled "Another Message to America and its Allies" showed Mr Henning introducing himself and saying "because of our parliament's decision to attack the Islamic state, I, as a member of the British public, will now pay the price for that decision."

The United Kingdom commenced air strikes against IS in Iraq earlier this week.

The UK Foreign Office has said that it is working urgently to verify the contents of the video.

Australia accused of turning a blind eye to Bosnian war criminal

Oct 1, 2014
Australia has been accused of providing a safe haven for alleged war criminals after the country failed to act on the case of a Bosnian war criminal, who lived in Canberra for almost 10 years, reports Fairfax newspapers.

Krunoslav Bonic was wanted by Bosnian police for 8 years for alleged war crimes committed during the Bosnian war in 1992-1995.

According to Australia's Attorney-General department an extradition request was made in March.

Palestinians urge UN Sec Council to call for end to Israeli occupation by 2016

Oct 1, 2014
Palestinians urged the UN Security Council on Wednesday to end the Israeli occupation by 2016, putting together a draft Security Council resolution to that effect.

The resolution calls for "the full withdrawal of Israel ... from all of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, as rapidly as possible and to be fully completed within a specified timeframe, not to exceed November 2016," reports Reuters.

It further adds that the Israeli withdrawal must commence “as rapidly as possible and to be fully completed within a specified timeframe, not to exceed November 2016, and the achievement of the independence and sovereignty of the State of Palestine and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people,” reports Al Arabiya News.

Turkish parliament approves military action in Iraq, Syria

Oct 1, 2014
The Turkish parliament authorised military action against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in a vote held today, reports Reuters.

The motion, which also approves the stationing of foreign troops in Turkey, was passed with 298 votes for and 98 against, reports CNN.

Turkey had till now refused to join the attack against IS, citing the fact that 46 Turkish citizens were being held as hostages. All 46 have since been released.

Ethnically targeted human rights abuses in northern Iraq says UN

Oct 1, 2014
A United Nations report published on Thursday, outlined gross human rights violations and “acts of violence of an increasingly sectarian nature” committed by Islamic state militants led to over 9000 civilian deaths.

The report, produced by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) listed rights violations between 6 July and 10 September.

“These include attacks directly targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, executions and other targeted killings of civilians, abductions, rape and other forms of sexual and physical violence perpetrated against women and children, forced recruitment of children, destruction or desecration of places of religious or cultural significance, wanton destruction and looting of property, and denial of fundamental freedoms,” the report says.

SNP membership trebles after Scottish independence referendum
Clashes break out in Hong Kong as protests continue
Sweden to officially recognise Palestine
More UN peacekeepers die in Mali
Catalans push forward with independence referendum
Islamic State release video purportedly showing British hostage execution
Australia accused of turning a blind eye to Bosnian war criminal
Palestinians urge UN Sec Council to call for end to Israeli occupation by 2016
Turkish parliament approves military action in Iraq, Syria
Ethnically targeted human rights abuses in northern Iraq says UN