WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old nursing graduate and rickshaw driver from Somalia, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after being convicted of insulting government institutions over comments she made on social media. Ali, who had posted on Facebook and TikTok, was sentenced on 25 June in a case that has sparked outrage in Somalia and renewed concern over the shrinking space for…

3 killed in Quetta, Pakistan mosque bombing

<p>The bombing of a mosque on Friday in Pakistan’s western city, Quetta, has killed 3 people and wounded 28, leaving three in a critical condition.</p> <p>Abdul Razzaq Cheema, Quetta’s police chief, told reporters that the attack occurred before Friday prayers. The local police officer, Tauseef Farman, reported that an explosive device went off next to the prayer leader, who was among the killed.</p> <p>Quetta is the capital of Baluchistan, a region of Pakistan that has suffered from cycles of separatist and government violence. Recent attacks in the province killed at least 10 people.&nbsp;</p>

Modi to win India elections with a landslide victory

Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is to secure a second five-year term with a resounding majority.

Results so far project that the BJP is set to win over 300 of the 543 seats in parliament, while the main opposition led by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress Party is expected to win fewer than 100.  

Modi’s victory is certain but results are still being declared. Rahul Gandhi has accepted defeat and congratulated Modi on his win during a press conference.  

UK loses vote at UN over Chagos Islands

Britain lost a vote at the United Nations General Assembly, urging Britain to withdraw its colonial administration from the Chagos Islands within six months.

Photograph: UN News

116 countries voted in favour of the motion, six voted against and 56 others abstained.

Indonesia post-election protests kills six and injures hundreds

<p>Six people have been killed and 200 injured during protests in Jakarta, Indonesia, against the official election results of last month’s election which declared Joko Widodo as president.</p> <p>National Police spokesperson, Dedi Prasetyo, said that police were checking reports of casualties but stressed that the police and military personnel present at the protests were not equipped with live bullets.</p> <p>Protesters are mainly supporters of unsuccessful presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto and claimed that widespread fraud took place.</p>

Mordaunt to give amnesty to veterans for battle crimes

<p>Penny Mordaunt, the new defence secretary, has promised to introduce an amnesty against prosecution of British soldiers for alleged offences committed in the course of duty more than ten years ago covering wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and aorund the world&nbsp;but not in Northern Ireland.</p> <p>“It is high time that we change the system and provide the right legal protections to make sure the decisions our service personnel take in the battlefield will not lead to repeated or unfair investigations down the line,” Mordaunt said.</p>

FARC accuses Colombia of 'dirty war' of assassinations as it transitions into politics

<p>Colombia’s Revolutionary Alternative Common Force (FARC) accused the far right of assassinating its members, whilst pledging to continue the process of peace and integration into politics.</p> <p>The statement came after, the FARC’s most senior commander Jorge Enrique Corredor was shot dead, on Tuesday.</p> <p>“We won’t hesitate to point the finger at the right-wing and paramilitary sectors closely linked to the state security agencies, who are behind these murders, “ FARC Senator Pablo Catatumbo told press.</p>

Sudan military and opposition agree to three year transition period

<p>Sudan’s military council and opposition groups have agreed to a three-year transition period to transfer power to a fully civilian administration.</p> <p>“We vow to our people that the agreement will be completed fully within 24 hours in a way that meets the people’s aspirations,” Lieutenant General Yasser al Atta said.</p> <p>He said that the Parliament will have 300 members with the Alliance for Freedom and Change making up 67 per cent of it while the rest will be made up of other political groups.</p>

ICC prosecutor calls for UN member states to pressure for arrest of Libya war criminals

<p>The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda called on the need for governments to act on arrest warrants for Libyan’s accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.</p> <p>Speaking at the United Nations Security Council in New York, Bensouda said the ICC has issued multiple warrants for Sail Al-Islam Gaddafi, Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled and Mahmoud Mustafa Al-Werfalli for crimes ranging from unlawful imprisonment, torture and mass murder.</p>

US seizes North Korean ship for violating international sancitons

<p>The Untied States has seized a North Korean shipping vessel that violated American law and international sanctions.</p> <p>IN an announcement released by the US Justice Department on Thursday, prosecutors said a carrier ship that was being used to export sanctioned North Korean coal , was seized.</p> <p>In what was the first time the United States had seized a North Korean cargo vessel for violating international sanctions, the head of the Justice Department John Demers, said,</p> <p>“This sanctions busting ship is now out of service.”</p>

Singapore fake news law will have a chilling effect on internet freedom

<p>Singapore has passed a bill that forces media to correct and remove content that the government considers to be false, a move which will have a “chilling effect on internet freedom” according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).</p> <p>The bill has been criticised by rights groups, journalists and tech firms as it could be used to clamp down on freedom of speech.</p> <p>“The absence of clear protection for expression pose real risks that it will be misused to clamp down on the free exchange and expression of opinions and information,” Frederick Rawski said, the Asia Pacific director for International Commission of Jurists.</p>