WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

German police arrest Rwanda genocide suspect accused of ordering killings
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,…

US imposes visa restrictions on Venezuelan officials over human rights

Feb 2, 2015
The United States on Monday instituted visa restrictions on Venezuelan officials alleged to have been involved in human rights violations and corruption, expanding the list of individuals banned from the US following the sanctions imposed last year.

"We are sending a clear message that human rights abusers, those who profit from public corruption, and their families are not welcome in the United States," the State Department said in a statement.

The individuals have not been named due to US regulations on confidentiality for visa applicants.

UN court dismisses Croatian and Serbian genocide cases

Feb 2, 2015
The International Court of Justice has rejected claims that Serbia and Croatia committed genocide during the conflict that led to the break up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

In a ruling earlier today, Peter Tomka, president of the International Court of Justice, stated that whilst both countries had committed crimes during the war, neither had proved the "specific intent required for acts of genocide".

Approximately 20,000 people were killed during the 1991-1995 conflict. Most of the deaths were Croatian.

Speaking on Serbia's campaign against Croatian towns and villages Judge Tomka said "acts of ethnic cleansing may be part of a genocidal plan, but only if there is an intention to physically destroy the target group."

"Croatia has not established that the only reasonable inference was the intent to destroy in whole or in part the (Croatian) group," he added, saying, “the crimes committed against ethnic Croats appears to have been aimed at the forced displacement of the majority of the Croat population from the regions concerned, and not at its physical or biological destruction”.

Head of UN war crimes inquiry into Gaza conflict resigns

Feb 2, 2015
The head of a United Nations inquiry into allegations of war crimes committed during Israel's offensive into Gaza into 2014 has resigned from his post, after accusations of an anti-Israeli bias.

Canadian law professor William Schabas was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to head a three-member group investigating reports of war crimes committed during the conflict.

Israel had slammed the commission and accused Mr Schabas of having an anti-Israeli bias, citing consultancy work the professor had done for the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) in October, 2012.

Mr Schabas though said the legal opinion that he had written for the organisation represented “a tiny part” of his work and rejected the claims of bias. "The complaint about my brief consultancy, as I understand it, is not about the content, which is of a technical legal nature, but the implication that in some way I am henceforth beholden to the Palestinian Liberation Organisation," he wrote.

Chadian troops enter Nigeria to combat Boko Haram militants

Feb 2, 2015
Chadian troops entered Nigeria to join the battle against the Boko Haram militants in the Northern regions of the country, on Monday.

Chadian armoured vehicles and infantry crossed a bridge from Cameroon amidst air strikes and mortar attacks on Boko Haram territory, reports the BBC.

Chad’s involvement has been focused on fighting around the north-eastern town of Gamboru, said a Nigerian security spokesperson Mike Omeri .

The African Union has also pledged to establish a 7,500 strong force to fight against the militants.

Nigerian election campaign rally hit by bomb

Feb 2, 2015

An election rally attended by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was hit by a suicide bomb, killing at least one and injuring 18.

The rally, in the northern city of Gombe, was held in advance of the presidential election on February 14, where Mr Jonathan will face the former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari.

According to residents, the president left the rally three minutes before the explosion.

A local journalist told AFP the explosion had led to unrest in Gombe, with angry youths attacking supporters of Mr Jonathan's People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Sunni disenfranchisement must be addressed to see lasting peace in Iraq says US intelligence

Feb 2, 2015
Sunni disenfranchisement in Iraq must be addressed, whilst the US led coalition nullifies the immediate threat of Islamic State militants, US military officials said on Tuesday.

US military officials urged the Shi’ite majority Iraqi government to reach out to the disenfranchised Sunnis to ensure lasting stability in the region, reports Reuters.

Uganda pledges full cooperation with ICC prosecution

Feb 1, 2015
Uganda assured the International Criminal Court of “full cooperation” with the case prosecuting the Ugandan rebel commander for mass atrocities.

Uganda’s government would help with investigations as well as identifying potential witness for the case, the country’s attorney general, Peter Nyombi told reporters.

“The ICC may want us to assist them in accessing certain witnesses. We are establishing a technical committee for that purpose,” he said.

Farc militants re-commence peacetalks with Colombia

Feb 1, 2015
The Farc militants resumed peace talks with the Colombian government in Cuba after a break, reports Agence France Presse.

“We resumed the talks, and are hoping continue to seek an agreement in terms known by the people of Colombia and the whole world,” said a statement by the Farc commander Joaquin Gomez.

Australian Al Jazeera journalist released from Egypt prison

Jan 31, 2015

An Australian Al Jazeera journalist, convicted and jailed by Egypt, has been freed after 400 days in custody.

Peter Greste was freed and deported, while two other Al Jazeera reporters are still being held.

Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, like Mr Greste, were convicted of spreading false news and aiding the Muslim Brotherhood. Some reports indicate Mr Fahmy, who holds dual Canadian-Egyptian nationality will be deported to Canada after having his Egyptian nationality revoked. Egyptian Mr Mohamed's fate remains unclear.

South Sudan's conflicting sides sign 'power sharing' ceasefire deal

Jan 31, 2015
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and the militant opposition commander, Riek Machar, signed another ceasefire agreement on Sunday.

The agreement, which has not been made public, sets out how the two leaders would seek to share power by forming an interim government, reports Reuters.

The opposition militants, however, noted that further details needed to be clarified before the deal can be labelled a “power-sharing” agreement.

The latest agreement, detailed a schedule of further discussions on the functions of the provisional government.
US imposes visa restrictions on Venezuelan officials over human rights
UN court dismisses Croatian and Serbian genocide cases
Head of UN war crimes inquiry into Gaza conflict resigns
Chadian troops enter Nigeria to combat Boko Haram militants
Nigerian election campaign rally hit by bomb
Sunni disenfranchisement must be addressed to see lasting peace in Iraq says US intelligence
Uganda pledges full cooperation with ICC prosecution
Farc militants re-commence peacetalks with Colombia
Australian Al Jazeera journalist released from Egypt prison
South Sudan's conflicting sides sign 'power sharing' ceasefire deal