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…

Free Syrian Army move HQ to Syria

The Free Syrian Army moved its main comman centre from Turkey to Syria, the group announced on Saturday.

In a video entitled, 'Free Syrian Army Communique Number 1 from Inside' the leader Riad al-Assad, said, "The Free Syrian Army command has moved into liberated areas of Syria following arrangements made with battalions and brigades to secure these zones,” and they would "start the plan to liberate Damascus soon, God willing”.

Benghazi militias expelled by protestors

Protestors in the Libyan city of Benghazi have stormed the base of a militia suspected to be behind the killing of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens.

The headquarters of the Ansar al-Sharia group were stormed by police and protestors.

According to witnesses, armed supporters of the group gathered outside the building and fired shots into the air to disperse the protestors, but fled after the base was flooded with people shouting slogans against the group.

M23 rebels set up de facto administration, denies separatism

The rebellion in Congo’s east, known as the M23, has reinforced its power over the territory it has controlled for over five months, by setting up, what a U.N chief has described as, a parallel government.

U.N peace keeping chief, Herve Ladsous, denounced what he called a parallel government , warning of the risk of escalating the conflict and stating that “the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Congo has to be respected.”

Describing the situation to reporters in New York, Ladsous said

Serbia sentences 11 Albanians for war crimes

A Serbian court sentenced 11 ethnic Albanians to a total of 116 years in prison on Wednesday, after finding them guilty of committing war crimes.

The men were found guilty of illegally detaining and torturing at least 147 people, according to the verdict, during the war in Kosovo. Of the 17 charged with the offences, 6 were acquitted.

Iranian opposition group to be removed from US terror list

Senior officials in the White House have said that the State Department is going to remove the Iranian dissident organisation, Mujahadin-e-Khalq (MeK) from the US list of terrorist organisations.

The officials said the decision would be announced formally next week.

The group has renounced violence, while still calling for regime change, and is thought to have provided the US with intelligence on Iran's nuclear programme.

US Iranians spent millions of dollars to enlist a wide range of US politicians to support the deproscription of the organisation, but only three years ago the US arrested several pro-MeK activists for raising funds for a banned terrorist organisation.

Now members of congress 'openly praise' the organisation.

Libyans protest ambassador killing

The killing of US Ambassador Chris Stevens in Libya has caused a public backlash against Islamist militias, reports the Associated Press.

Tens of thousands of Libyans are reported to have marched in protest against the killing, demanding the disbanding of Ansar al-Shariah, one of the strongest armed Islamic extremist groups in the country.

According to officials and witnesses, the September 11 attack on the Benghazi consulate is believed to have been led by fighters from Ansar al-Shariah.

Palestine to request ‘observer state’ position at UN

Palestine is set to push for the status of “observer state” at the UN allowing them to pursue cases against Israel at the International criminal Court, commented a senior Palestinian official.

The move would grant Palestine the same ranking as states such as the Vatican, and would require a majority backing in the 193-member UN General Assembly. Palestine’s earlier attempt to achieve “full statehood” through the UN Security Council last year failed in the face of fierce lobbying from Israel and their long time ally, the United States.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat indicated that the move would be significant, commenting,

US lifts sanctions on Burma 

The US lifted sanctions on Burma, as the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned, that yet more needed to be done.  “Political prisoners remain in detention", she said. Ongoing ethnic and sectarian violence continues to undermine progress toward national reconciliation, stability and lasting peace. And further reforms are required to strengthen the rule of law, increase transparency and address constitutional challenges.”

Wen calls for end of EU arms embargo

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged the EU to lift an arms embargo, in place since the 1989 Tiananmen Square killings.

Syria ‘bombs fuel queue’ in Raqqa

A Syrian air force plane is thought to have attacked a petrol station near the north-eastern town of Raqqa, killing over 30 people according to rebels.

The opposition group said people were queuing for petrol when they were attacked.

Rebels recently captured the nearby border post of Tal al-Abyad, and pictures showed the rebel flag flying next to the Turkish flag at the crossing.

The Syrian army has been attempting to recapture the border town, with reports of severe clashes emerging.