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,…

Iraqi Kurd president warns intervention in Syria

The president of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan threatened to intervene to defend the Kurdis population caught up in the Syrian conflict.

Hague ruling could undermine future war crimes trials

A ruling requiring proof that atrocities were "specifically directed" could mean that generals and politicians evade responsibility for war crimes in future.

Human rights groups fear difficulty in delivering justice in the wake of massacres after a series of acquittals by the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has created a new judicial precedent.

See the Guardian for full report.

Somali militants seized UK aid

UK aid worth £480,000 was seized by Somalian militants in November 2011.

Humanitarian aid supplies were taken from a warehouse during a raid by al-Shabab, revealed the Department for International Development.

Gunmen kill 44 at Nigerian mosque

At least 44 people were shot dead during dawn prayers at a mosque in the Northern province of Borno in Nigeria.

The killings, suspected to be carried out by Islamist militant group Boko Haram, took place on Sunday morning.

A civilian vigilante group member told the Associated Press that four of their group were killed when responding to calls for help. A further twelve civilians were reportedly killed at a nearby village.

HRW condemns arrest of Bangladeshi rights activist

Human Rights Watch condemned the arrest of prominent Bangladesh human rights activist, Adilur Rahman Khan today.

Khan was arrested under allegations that he had spread false information about the Bangladeshi government. Working for the Bangladeshi rights group Odhikar, in May, he published a report on violence during a protest by hard-line Islamists, which was met by deadly police brutality.

Israel approves new settlements

 Israel has issued tenders for the construction of nearly 1,200 units of housing in East Jerusalem and the West Bank,  three days before the scheduled start of peace-talks, despite US and Palestinian opposition to the expansion of Jewish settlements.

NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan

Three US soldiers of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force have been killed after an attack by insurgents.

The troops were near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan in the Paktia province just south of the capital Kabul.

No other details have been released.

Eid bombs kill over 60 in Iraq

Over 60 people have been killed and almost 300 wounded in a series of bomb attacks in Iraq.

The apparently co-ordinated attacks happened primarily in Baghdad near crowded markests, cafes and restaurants during Eid-al-Fitr celebrations.

More than 670 people have been killed in Iraq during this year's holy month of Ramadan.

See the BBC for full report.

US embassies to reopen

Most US embassies that were shut after global terror threats from al-Qaeda will reopen on Sunday, although the Yemen outpost will remain closed due to "ongoing concerns" in the region.

US drones continue to fly around the region after three air strikes reportedly killed twelve suspected militants on Thursday.

See the Independent for full report.

Amnesty urges Cambodian authorities to respect right to peacful protest

Amnesty International called for Cambodian authorities to ensure that no blood was spilt in coming weeks, after armoured personnel carriers were spotted in the main city of Phom Penh.

Amnesty International deputy Asia Pacific director, Isabelle Arradon, warned in a statement,