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,…

Why Nazi hunting remains crucial – NYT editorial

Commenting on prosecution of an 88-year-old former Nazi guard for war crimes, the New York Times has written on the importance of pursuing WWII-era war criminals.

The editorial, ‘Why Nazi hunting remains crucial’, notes that there has been successful legal action against over 100 Nazi war criminals since 2001, stating the ‘hunt must continue’.

The opening paragraph has been reproduced below.

Rights groups urge ICC to investigate former British officials for systematic torture in Iraq

The European Centre for Constitutional Human Rights, based in Germany, and the Public interest Lawyers firm (PIL), based in England, today called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate actions of former members of the British cabinet and troops over allegations of systematic torture in Iraq.

Basque protestors defy Madrid ban

(Pictures @berria)

Over 100,000 Basques marched through the streets of Bilbao, defying a ban imposed by a court in Madrid.

‘Late, but not too late’

Following 88-year-old former Nazi guard being charged over wartime killings, Time magazine interviewed Efraim Zuroff from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an organisation that tracks down suspected WWII-era war criminals.

In a piece entitled “Meet the Nazi Hunter: Israel’s Efraim Zuroff Helps German Court Case”, Zuroff told of his organisation’s successful poster campaign that led to the arrest of the 88-year-old linked to the massacre of a French village in 1944.

CAR president resigns following regional and international pressure

The Central African Republic’s President, Michel Djotodia, resigned today, after receiving pressure form regional and international leaders to step down, after failing to halt months of inter-religious violence that has left 1 million people internally displaced.

The resignation was announced in a statement by the regional  Economic Community of Central African States (Eccas), who held discussions with Djodia and CAR’s ruling National Transitional Council (CNT).

Israel to build new houses in West Bank

The Israeli government has announced it is planning to build 1,400 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The move is likely to impede progress towards negotiations led by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

US to proscribe Libyan and Tunisian groups as terrorists

The United States is expected to proscribe two Libyan organisations as terrorist groups later this week, in the aftermath of an attack on the US embassy in Benghazi.

Four Americans, including  Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, were killed in the September 2012 attack by suspected Libyan militants.

India orders reprisal measures against US, as diplomat plea is rejected

The Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade has had her plea to delay proceedings against her for visa denied by a federal judge in New York.

Khobragade was detained last month on charges of visa fraud and underpaying her maid, causing outrage in Delhi. The Indian government is demanding an apology from the US for “humiliating” their diplomat.

President of CAR asked to step down amidst fears of genocide

The president of the Central African Republic, Michel Djotodia, is facing strong pressure to step down from the French government, after weeks of fighting have left roughly 1 million people displaced.

France have already sent 1600 troops to aid the deteriorating situation in the CAR, with the EU last week announcing that it would hold discussions on Friday with regards to sending a further 1000 troops to stabilise the situation.

Shot Palestinian children 'posed no apparent threat' - HRW

Human Rights Watch has condemned the killing of 2 Palestinian schoolchildren by Israeli troops, concluding that the young boys 'posed no apparent threat', in a press release earlier this week.

Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said,

“Twice this year, Israeli soldiers hiding near schools, apparently to make arrests, have killed children who posed no apparent threat”.