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,…

Myanmar reforms backsliding warns Obama

Nov 12, 2014
The US President Barack Obama warned this week that Myanmar's democratic reforms has slowed down and were even backsliding in an interview with Irrawady.

"Progress has not come as fast as many had hoped when the transition began four years ago. In some areas there has been a slowdown in reforms, and even some steps backward. Former political prisoners continue to face restrictions," Obama said, highlighting the attacks against Rohingya Muslims by extremist Buddhist groups.

Israel denies entry to UN inquiry team

Nov 12, 2014
Israel has denied entry to a UN inquiry team mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) against the Palestinian people in Gaza earlier this year.

Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Emmanuel Nachshon, was quoted by the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, as saying the decision to stop the team from entering was made "in view of the [UN Human Rights] Council’s obsessive hostility toward Israel, the committee’s one-sided mandate and committee chairman William Schabas’ declared anti-Israeli positions."

"[The committee is] a pretense that some inquiry is being held before the conclusions are published,” he added.

“While Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israel, the UN’s Human Rights Council made a decision stating Israel’s guilt in advance and set up a probe as a rubber stamp for its known positions."

India jails soldiers for Kashmir killings

Nov 12, 2014
India has sentenced seven soldiers to life imprisonment for the murder of three youths in Indian-administered Kashmir four years ago.

The seven soldiers, including two officers, were found guilty of luring the three young men from their homes, promising jobs and money, before murdering them. The soldiers then claimed that the men were Pakistani militants who they had killed in an encounter.

Nigerian army recaptures Mubi from Boko Haram

Nov 12, 2014
The Nigerian army has recaptured the town of Mubi from militant Islamist group Boko Haram, said government officials on Thursday.

Mubi, the second largest town in the north-eastern Adamawa state was captured by Boko Haram in October, who renamed it Madinatul Islam - City of Islam.

Whilst the Nigerian army has not commented on the current situations, an anonymous military source told Reuters, the army was "on the verge of recapturing Mubi and other towns and villages taken over by the insurgents".

Adamawa State Governor Bala Ngilari told reporters that "the insurgents have been flushed out of Mubi and are on the run."

Meanwhile the UN's special representative for central Africa Abdoulaye Bathily said he was launching "an appeal to the international community to mobilise more in support of states' efforts in the battle against this terrorist group, whose atrocities have caused a worrying stream of refugees in neighbouring countries."

Russian troops are entering Ukraine says NATO, as ceasefire collapses

Nov 11, 2014
Russian troops and military convoys are entering Ukraine said a senior NATO commander on Wednesday, signalling the collapse of a ceasefire between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels.

"Russian tanks, Russian artillery, Russian air defence systems and Russian combat troops" have been seen, said US General Philip Breedlove, from a NATO air base near Naples.

The Reuters news agency quoted Breedlove as saying he was "concerned about the increased movement" of Russian military convoys "in the past several days".

Earlier this week, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) warned of the "rising" risk of renewed open conflict.

Britain launches first drone strikes in Iraq

Nov 11, 2014
Britain's Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that it had launched its first drone strikes in Iraq against Islamic State (IS) militants this weekend.

An RAF Reaper fired a Hellfire missile at IS militants who were reportedly laying improvised explosive devices in Bayji, north of Baghdad.

The MoD said,
"A series of coalition missions were conducted near Bayji, north of Baghdad, where ISIL terrorists were laying improvised explosive devices.”

"UK Reaper continued to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assistance to coalition aircraft which enabled them to conduct further strikes.”
Britain last month announced that it has authorised the use of spy planes and armed drones to fly surveillance missions over Syria.

Serbian war crimes suspect receives hero's welcome

Nov 11, 2014
Serbian politician Vojislav Seselj was greeted by hundreds of supporters in Belgrade on Wednesday, as he vowed to overthrow “Serbian traitors” on his return.

Seselj, who has been released temporarily from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague to receive cancer treatment, said on his return,
"They say it is temporary... But it will be temporary only until we overthrow from power (President) Tomislav Nikolic and (Prime Minister) Aleksandar Vucic, our renegades and Serbian traitors."
Seselj, founder and president of the Serbian Radical Party, went on to say that the Serbian politicians in power had "sold our honour and gave up Serb nationalism to become servants of the West".

Armenia vows 'grave consequences' after Azerbaijan shoots down helicopter

Nov 11, 2014
Armenia's defence minister has vowed Azerbaijan would suffer “grave consequences” for downing an Armeninan helicopter in the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan's defence ministry said that an Armenian helicopter had “attempted to attack Azeri positions.” All three crew members on board the helicopter were killed once Azeri forces shot it down.

Armenia's defence minister Artsrun Hovhannisyan responded to the downing by saying,

ICC chief prosecutor warns UN Security Council of war crimes in Libya

Nov 11, 2014
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said that there were indications of war crimes being committed amidst the escalating violence in Libya.

Speaking at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Fatou Bensouda, noted that the last 6 months of conflict in Libya had seen signs of war crimes, reports Aljazeera.

“There are, indeed, indications that crimes that fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court are being committed,” said Bensouda on Tuesday.

UN Secretary-General appoints board to investigate Gaza attacks

Nov 10, 2014
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has announced a five-member panel who will investigate attacks on UN buildings during Israel's offensive into Gaza this summer.

The appointment of the panel has been opposed by Israel, who have called on the Secretary-General to wait until the conclusion of its own government inquiry.

The UN board of inquiry will be led by Patrick Cammaert, a Dutch general who has led several peacekeeping missions, and includes UN officials from Argentina, Canada, India and the United States.

According to a statement from the Secretary-General's office,  the inquiry will review and investigate a number of specific incidents in which death or injuries occurred at, and/or damage was done to United Nations premises,” as well as”incidents in which weapons were found to be present on United Nations premises.”

“The Secretary-General expects that the Board will enjoy the full cooperation of all parties concerned,” concluded the statement.
Myanmar reforms backsliding warns Obama
Israel denies entry to UN inquiry team
India jails soldiers for Kashmir killings
Nigerian army recaptures Mubi from Boko Haram
Russian troops are entering Ukraine says NATO, as ceasefire collapses
Britain launches first drone strikes in Iraq
Serbian war crimes suspect receives hero's welcome
Armenia vows 'grave consequences' after Azerbaijan shoots down helicopter
ICC chief prosecutor warns UN Security Council of war crimes in Libya
UN Secretary-General appoints board to investigate Gaza attacks