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,…

You are all terrorists' - Kenyan police tell detained refugees

In a report released on Thursday - “‘You are All Terrorists:’ Kenyan Police Abuse of Refugees in Nairobi" - Human Rights Watch condemned the torture, rape and arbitrary detention of refugees.

Interviewing 101 refugees in Nairobi, HRW found that Kenyans of Somali ethnicity were arbitrarily accused by police of being terrorists, and demanded payments to secure release.

Nations Without States outlines a busy year ahead

Nations Without States is a new organisation aimed to help vindicate a nation’s right to self-determination, whilst also calling for the concept to be accepted as a basic human right. The organisation also looks to provide a platform that upholds the voice of nations seeking statehood, and encourage co-operation between other self-determinist groups.

Reports of chemical weapon usage in Syria

A detailed investigation by a French journalist in Syria has found that several hundred rebel fighters have been treated for symptoms of chemical exposure in six rebel-held districts near Damascus.

A reporter from le Monde newspaper claims to have been present during chemical attacks on the Free Syrian Army and also met with doctors who treated victims of chemical exposure.

See the Guardian for English coverage.

Thousands protest against arrest of KLA members

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Kosovo, protesting against the arrest of former Kosovo Liberation Army members by the European Union police and justice mission.

The members, which included Kosovo's ambassador to Albania, a sitting mayor of a town, and prime minister's bodyguard, were arrested last week for suspected war crimes.

Iranian opposition coalition slam election farce

A coalition of Iranian opposition figures from a range of political groups condemned the upcoming Iranian presidential election as a 'charade', reports the Guardian.

The coalition, which came together for a two day conference organised by United for Democracy in Iran in Stockholm this weekend, consisted of exiled political figures, who attended in their personal capacity, rather than as representatives of their political parties.

Russia to arm Syria

Russia has confirmed it will deliver anti-aircraft missiles to the Syrian regime, saying the arms would be a ‘stabilising’ factor and help deter "some hotheads" from intervening.

"We consider these supplies a stabilising factor and believe such steps will deter some hotheads from considering scenarios that would turn the conflict international with the involvement of outside forces," said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

African Union accuses ICC of being 'racist'

The African Union accused the International Criminal Court of being 'racist' on Monday, reports AFP

Demanding that the ICC end proceedings against the Kenyan president, it said Africans were being targeted due to their race.

Speaking at the end of the AU summit, AU chair and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, said:

EU arms embargo on Syrian opposition lifted

The European Union has agreed not to renew an arms embargo on the Syrian opposition, meaning individual countries could arm the opposition. Pressure to arm the rebels, mainly from the British and French foreign ministers, was not successful with the EU deciding not to deliver any weapons to the rebels.

William Hague welcomed the decision, saying it was "important for Europe to send a clear signal to the Assad regime that it has to negotiate seriously, and that all options remain on the table if it refuses to do so".

Cambodian Prime Minister pushes genocide denial bill

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has called for a new law to be passed that criminalises denial of genocide committed by the country’s Khmer Rouge regime.

Speaking to Parliament ahead of an election due to be held on July 28, Sen, a former Khmer Rouge cadre himself, Sen stated,

Rockets strike Hezbollah districts in Beirut

Two rockets have hit a district in southern Beirut, controlled by Hezbollah.

The missiles, Soviet-made Grad rockets, hit buildings in the al-Shayyah area and injured three people.

Syrian rebels have vowed to attack Hezbollah after their leader Hassan Nasrallah promised to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad until the rebels were defeated.

"We used to say before, 'We are coming Bashar'," Col Abdul-Jabbar al-Aqidi was quoted as saying. "Now we say, 'We are coming Bashar and we are coming Hassan Nasrallah'.