The UN Security Council renewed a peacekeeping mission in South Sudan for a second year on Thursday. "South Sudan and the Sudan currently stand at a crossroads and this is a defining moment for both countries," said UN chief Ban Ki-moon, adding that South Sudan needs to “cultivate constructive relations with the Sudan." The UN mission in South Sudan was created in July 2011. Since their separation, the two states have repeatedly clashed over a disputed border and oil fields located in the region.
Judge sets Zimmerman $1 million bail
A Florida judge has set a $1 million dollar for George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch member accused of killing an unarmed black 17 year-old. A previous bail of $150,000 was revoked last month after prosecutors accused Zimmerman of misrepresenting his wealth to obtain a lower bail bond and potentially flee.
Assad’s general and friend flees to Turkey
A member of Assad’s inner circle and a brigadier in the Republican Guard, Manaf Tlas, has reportedly fled Damascus and was in Turkey en route for Paris, Reuters reports. Tlas could not be reached for comment but several sources confirmed his defection. A witness in Damascus, who spoke to Reuter anonymously, said Tlas's house in the Syrian capital had been ransacked by security agents. Tlas’s father Mustapha served as defense minister under Assad's father for 30 years.
UN threatens sanctions on Mali rebels
The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution threatening sanctions against Islamist fighters in northern Mali. It expresses concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Mali and demands the restoration of constitutional order following a March 21 coup.
Renowned Russian aerobatic team won't participate in British air show
"Russkiye vityazi" ("Russian knights") won't make it to the Farnborough International Air Show this year because they didn't get the necessary license from the Military Cooperation Federal Service. Military equipment can't be taken abroad without permission from the body. Formed in 1991, the team of six Sukhoi Su-27s is famous around the world for its aerobatic performance demonstrations. The Farnborough Air Show is a week-long international trade fair that is held every other year at the Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, England.
Tainted Vatican Bank receives report on financial transparency
The Vatican’s quest to be placed on the prestigious “white list” of financially transparent countries is coming to a close, after the Council of Europe completed a report on its financial activities. The contents of the report will not be disclosed for another month. Italy is currently conducting several investigations against recently-employed Vatican bank officials accused of money-laundering and other financial misdeeds.
St. Petersburg gay rally cancelled
Saint Petersburg authorities annulled a previously sanctioned march and rally for LGBT rights. The event was scheduled for this Saturday, and no more than 1,000 people were expected to participate. "The cancellation was caused by a huge number of citizens who demanded that the rally be forbidden", the governor's press-secretary stated.
Pussy Riot activist’s health worsens during hunger strike
The health of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one of jailed activists of feminist-punk band Pussy Riot, worsened after the three detainees declared a hunger strike yesterday, said her lawyer Mark Feigin. He said Nadezhda is suffering from a severe headache which forced her to ask for a pain-killer injection. Feigin stressed that the administration of the pre-trial detention center is treating all of the punk-group’s members properly.
Libya’s NTC says Sharia should be ‘main source of legislation’
Libya's outgoing National Transitional Council has recommended that Islamic law should be the “main” source of legislation. “The Libyan people are attached to Islam, as a religion and legislation,” the council’s spokesman Saleh Daroub said on Thursday. “And this should not be subject to a referendum,” AFP quoted him as saying. Libyans will vote on Saturday for a General National Congress, which is expected to appoint a new government and a constituent authority.
Kabul gas accident toll rises to 17
The death toll from an explosion and fire at a liquid gas reservoir in Afghanistan's capital Kabul has risen to 17, police said on Thursday. The accident on Wednesday, in which 155 people were injured, could have been caused by an electrical short circuit. NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helped Afghan emergency services tackle the blaze.
Tunisia calls for Arab meeting over Arafat death
Tunisia has called for Arab ministers to meet to discuss the death of former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. “The general secretariat received a request today from the Tunisian representative to convene a ministerial meeting to study the circumstances of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat,” the Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Ahmed Ben Helli said on Thursday, as cited by Reuters. The request follows new allegations that Arafat was poisoned with the radioactive element polonium-210 in 2004.
UK government outlines army cuts
Britain's Defense Secretary Philip Hammond has said the army cuts will not undermine its military might. “We do have the fourth-largest defense budget in the world and the army is one of the top-performing armies in the world and will remain so,” he said. The UK army will shrink from 102,000 troops to 82,000 by the end of the decade, Hammond said on Thursday. The army will lose 17 major units. The government is expected to offset reductions by increases in part-time reservists and greater reliance on civilian contractors.
No comments:
Post a Comment