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,…

Turkey legislation paves way for PKK peace talks

Turkey has passed a legal framework for peace talks with the PKK, previously made difficult due to the country’s strict anti-terror laws.

Thursday’s parliamentary vote removes the risk of Kurds participating in the talks from being prosecuted in case negotiations fail.

The law will protect those involved in disarming and reintegrating Kurdish rebels and gove legal protection to meetings that aim to contribute to ending the conflict.

175 victims of Srebrenica massacre buried on anniversary

The 19th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre was marked in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with 175 victims that were found in mass graves buried in the town on Friday.

The newly identified bodies of Bosniak men and boys were buried next to 6,066 massacre victims, found previously.

Over 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were massacred by Serbian troops, after Dutch UN troops handed the area over to the Serbs. The commander of the troops who did the killing, Ratko Mladic, is now on trial at The Hague, facing charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Kurds seize Iraqi oil fields

Two oil fields have been taken over by Kurdistan’s peshmerga in the north of Iraq.

The facilities, at the Bai Hassan and Kirkuk oil fields, have come under full control of Kurdish forces, a day after Kurdish MPs withdrew from Iraq’s government.

No international pressure will stop us from acting with all power' says Israel

Israel said Friday that it would not bow down to international pressure to end air strikes on Gaza, whilst the US offered to help negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas, reports Reuters.

“No international pressure will prevent us from acting with all power,” he told reports Tel Aviv.

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Friday, urged the United Nations Security Council to demand an immediate truce.

The UN Human Rights Chief, Navi Pillay, also expressed concern over the legitimacy of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

EU places sanctions on leaders in South Sudan

The European Union Friday, imposed sanctions on two South Sudanese military leaders for breaking ceasefire agreement, reports the Reuters.

The EU announced travel bans on South Sudanese rebel leader Peter Gadet, and Military commander of the government army, Santino Deng. 

The sanctions were placed due to claims that Gadet had violated the January ceasefire whilst citing human rights abuses during an attack by his militia group in April.

Kurdish leaders to boycott Iraqi cabinet over Maliki comments

Kurdish leaders vowed to boycott the Iraq cabinet on Thursday, demanding an apology from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, for his remarks accusing Kurdistan of harbouring ISIS fighters.

Mr Maliki made those comments whilst visiting the Kurdistan's capital Irbil on Wednesday.

Work towards two state solution for peace in Israel and Palestine says UN Sec General

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki moon, Thursday, warned the United Nations Security Council of a serious escalation of casualties in the Israel and Gaza could only be avoided if parties worked towards a two state solution.

“My paramount concern is the safety and well-being of all civilians, no matter where they are. It pains me – and it should pain us all – to be reliving circumstances that are all too reminiscent of the two most recent wars in Gaza,” said Ban Ki-moon.

Gaza death toll continues to rise

Over 38 people, including at least 8 children have now been killed in the Gaza strip after continuing air and sea attacks by the Israeli Defence Force.

Officials in Gaza said that six children were killed in an attack targeting Hamas activist Odeh Ahmad Mohammad Kaware, with several of his children said to have died in the assault, reported The Guardian.

The Israeli military has conducted over 440 air and naval strikes since Monday.

"Four Palestinians were killed in air strikes, including two brothers who are 12 and 13 years old in Shejaiya, while a four-year-old boy and a woman were killed in a raid on Zeitun," emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told Agence France-Presse.

Palestine President accuses Israel of committing genocide

The Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas , Wednesday, accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza after a night of bombardment killed at least 43 Palestinians, reports Agence France Presse.

“It’s genocide – the killing of entire families is genocide by Israel against our Palestinian people. What’s happening now is a war against the Palestinian people as a whole and not against the (militant) factions. We Know Israel is not defending itself, it is defending settlements, its main project,” said Abbas addressing a crisis meeting of the Palestinian Leadership in the West Bank.

Abbas added that he would be speaking to the Egyptian President and UN Secretary general to work towards stopping Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.

The Hamas leader, Khaled Mashaal today called for Israel to end its airstrikes and occupation to see peace and stop Hamas attacks on the region, reports the Times of Israel.

Civilians protecting Hamas buildings will not be spared - IDF officer

The Israeli army said that the killing of 8 Palestinian civilians on Tuesday was a mistake, whilst adding that civilians protecting Hamas buildings would not be spared, reports an Israeli daily, Harretz.

An Israeli Defence Force investigation, Wednesday, found that despite prior warnings, a senior Hamas operatives family members returned to the targeted house too soon.

“There was nothing to be done, the munition was in the air and could not be diverted,” said a senior air force officer.