MOSCOW, April 6 -- Russia supports UN efforts to normalize the situation in Libya through elections and a constitutional reform, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Egypt’s Al Ahram newspaper published on Saturday. "We support the effort of the UN special envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, to put into practice his roadmap for normalizing the situation in Libya through free and fair general elections and a constitutional reform," he said. "We hope that the pan-Libyan conference in Ghadames, to be convened by the [UN] special envoy in mid-April, would help to achieve some progress toward implementing the goals [of Libyan settlement]," Lavrov said. Libyan tensions Situation in Libya escalated during the visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Currently, the country has two governments: Tripoli’s Government of National Accord, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and recognized by the international community, and the interim Cabinet of Abdullah Al-Thani, who is acting in the country’s east together with the elected parliament and supported by the Libyan National Army of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. On Thursday, Haftar announced the launch of an offensive on Tripoli to retake the capital from terrorists and armed groups. The army is advancing to the capital now and, as some media reported, has already approached the city’s outskirts. Meanwhile, al-Sarraj ordered all military units subordinate to him to be on alert and to use force if necessary "to defend the civilian population and critical facilities." In the meantime, the Al-Hadath television channel said that at a meeting with Antonio Guterres in Benghazi on Friday, Haftar notified the UN Secretary General that he would not negotiate with terrorists but would liberate Libya’s capital from them. According to the sources cited by the TV channel, Guterres asked Haftar to abide by generally recognized rules for military operations and by the international laws.
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THE HAGUE, March 28 -- Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has filed an appeal against the verdict made by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals on March 20, tightening his sentence from 40 years behind bars to life imprisonment. The appeal was made public by the Mechanism’s press service on Thursday. The document lists eight grounds for filing an appeal and contains the demand to invalidate the previous court decision. "The Majority erred in law by violating President Karadzic’s right to appeal when itself imposing a life sentence, rather than remanding the issue of the appropriate sentence to the Trial Chamber." "Each error of law invalidated the decision to impose a life sentence and occasioned a miscarriage of justice. The relief sought is an order vacating the life sentence and remanding the matter to a Trial Chamber for re-sentencing," the document states. Karadzic trialKaradzic, the former leader of the Bosnian Serbs, spent 13 years as a fugitive before being captured by Serbian intelligence services in a Belgrade suburb in July 2008. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) launched a trial against him in October 2009. In March 2016, Karadzic was found guilty on 10 out of 11 counts, particularly concerning the Srebrenica massacre, and sentenced to 40 years in prison. Karadzic’s defense earlier requested that his 40-year prison sentence be overturned and the case be reviewed. In response to the appeal, the court has increased Karadzic’s sentence to life in prison on March 20. "China’s Interference in United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms" Even as it engages with U.N. human rights institutions, China has worked consistently and often aggressively to silence criticism of its human rights record before U.N. bodies and has taken actions aimed at weakening some of the central mechanisms available in those institutions to advance rights. Because of China’s growing international influence, the stakes of such interventions go beyond how China’s own human rights record is addressed at the U.N. and pose a longer-term challenge to the integrity of the system as a whole.
CARACAS, March 3 -- Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno has called Venezuela a failed state. "Venezuela today is a completely failed state, and this should not go on like that," Moreno said after a meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido in Salinas. Guaido in turn thanked Moreno for assistance in "liberating" the Bolivarian Republic. "I thank [Ecuador's] President Lenin Moreno for supporting our efforts to liberate and restore Venezuela," Guaido wrote on his official Twitter account. He also noted that Ecuadorians and Venezuelans are fraternal peoples. "We will continue expanding cooperation and strengthening our relations," he said. On January 23 Venezuelan National Assembly Speaker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as the country's acting president. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has described it as a coup attempt and announced severing diplomatic relations with the United States. On January 28 the US imposed sancitons on Venezuela's state-owned PDVSA oil company. Guaido was recognized as interim president by the Lima Group countries (except for Mexico), as well as by Albania, Georgia, the United States, and the Organization of American States. Several EU countries came forward with support for the Venezuelan parliament and expressed hope for new elections to resolve the crisis. Maduro was supported by Russia, Bolivia, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Turkey. Belarus and China called for resolving all issues by peaceful means and spoke against any interference from the outside. The UN secretary general called for dialogue to resolve the crisis. BUCHAREST, February 1 -- Romania will deploy transport helicopters to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA), replacing the Canadian deployment, Canada’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a release. The decision followed a bilateral meeting at the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in December 2018, Global Affairs Canada said in a Thursday, January 21 release. “Romania’s commitment to replace Canada is an example of the continuing close cooperation among NATO allies to deliver critical capabilities to the U.N., in line with the “smart-pledging” approach, which ensures countries’ contributions match real needs on the ground,” the release said. “In line with its long-standing support for multilateralism, Romania is proud to cooperate with Canada and other close partners in providing a substantial and effective contribution to a very important U.N. mission,” Romania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor-Viorel Meleșcanu said. Canada is due to complete its mission in Mali on July 31, and Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan told reporters in Ottawa that troops would return home on schedule. Romania has “made a commitment to replace us,” he said. “They’re working very hard right now to make sure that they have all their capabilities go through the United Nations process just like we did to meet those timelines.” However, a Romanian official noting the country’s peacekeeping efforts said an “airlift helicopter detachment” would deploy to MINUSMA “starting October 2019,” according to a January 30 Ministry of National Defence release. It is unclear which aircraft or how many personnel Romania will deploy to Mali, and Romania’s Ministry of National Defense has not yet responded to a request for comment. Canada’s Presence in Mali
Following two years of talks with the U.N., Canada committed to deploying an air Task Force of helicopters to the U.N. mission MINUSMA for twelve months in March 2018. The first Canadian troops arrived in Gao in northern Mali in June, and the ATF, Operation Presence, became operational in August. Around 250 Canadian personnel are deployed in Gao along with three CH-147F Chinook heavy transport helicopters, and five CH-146 Griffon helicopters, which are intended as armed escorts, according to Canada’s Department of National Defense. Up to 10 personnel work as staff officers at MINUSMA headquarters in Bamako. GENEVA, February 1 -- A UN human rights expert expressed grave concern Thursday after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company. "I am especially concerned to hear reports that these sanctions are aimed at changing the government of Venezuela," Special Rapporteur Idriss Jazairy said in a written statement. Jazairy said the sanctions could trigger a health crisis. "Sanctions which can lead to starvation and medical shortages are not the answer to the crisis in Venezuela," he said. He noted that the crisis in Venezuela won't be solved by sanctions. "Precipitating an economic and humanitarian crisis…is not a foundation for the peaceful settlement of disputes," he said. Jazairy called for compassion for the Venezuelan people. He also called on the international community to engage in constructive dialogue with Venezuela to resolve the problem. On Monday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil firm PDVSA and its U.S. subsidiary Citgo to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to step down. Venezuela crisis The South American country has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10 when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition. Tensions rose when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself acting president on Jan. 23. Among those recognizing Guaido’s claim were the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay and the Organization of American States. Bolivia and Mexico continued to recognize Maduro. Russia, China and Iran also support Maduro, as does Turkey. European heavyweights Britain, Germany, France and Spain have called on Maduro to announce fresh elections to ease the crisis. MILAN, January 26 -- Italy pressured the Netherlands on Friday to accept 47 migrants, including eight unaccompanied minors, who have spent seven days at sea aboard a humanitarian rescue ship that has been allowed to enter Italian territorial waters due to bad weather conditions. The German aid group Sea-Watch tweeted that it has received no response to multiple requests for the Dutch-flagged Sea Watch-3 vessel carrying people rescued off Libya on Saturday to access a port. The boat was permitted to enter Italian waters Friday because of deteriorating weather conditions, and the Italian coast guard said it just off Syracuse, Sicily, flanked by coast guard and financial police boats. Italy and Malta, the closest EU nations, have both refused to allow entry to rescue vessels operated by humanitarian groups in what they say is a bid to discourage smuggler boats from departing Libya by diminishing the prospect of rescue. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told reporters in Rome that he sent a letter to the government in the Netherlands officially requesting that they organize landings for the migrants "aboard this vessel that waves a Dutch flag." Dutch Migration Minister Mark Harbers said that without the prospect of such a comprehensive solution to how to process migrants rescued at sea that the Netherlands "will not take part in ad-hoc measures." He added that the ship flying the Dutch flag doesn't oblige the Netherlands to take action. European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker's spokesman said that the commission is in touch with member states, and was watching the events closely. "Our position is clear: The safety of the people on board must be our first concern and priority. What is urgently needed in the Mediterranean are predictable arrangements to ensure disembarkations of rescued persons can take place safely," spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. A similar impasse was resolved last month when Malta allowed two to disembark 49 migrants two NGO-operated vessels, including Sea-Watch 3, after the EU brokered a deal to distribute the migrants among eight EU nations. UNICEF's spokesman in Italy, Andrea Iacomini, lamented the frequency of such stand offs. "Is it possible that Europe enters into a sort of humanitarian paralysis every three days for dozens of human beings, including children, without coming up with a structural and shared solution," Iacomini said. "I hope that European governments find a speedy agreement for a humanitarian solution that offers a safe port to the eight unaccompanied minors on the Sea-Watch. A child is a child, not a hostage." Of the 307 fugitives, five were on the Interpol Red Notice of 100 Chinese corruption fugitives most wanted by China. China has launched the manhunt coded "Sky Net" for four consecutive years, focusing mainly on corruption fugitives and illegal asset recovery overseas, amid a renewed anti-corruption drive. Sky Net operations have captured more than 5,000 fugitives from over 120 countries and regions, including 56 fugitives on the red notice, and recovered more than 10 billion yuan.
JERUZALEM, January 8 -- On January 5, Israel officially ceased to belong to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), based in Paris, of which it had been a part since 1949. The decision of the Israeli State, although it was announced in October of last year, has become effective on 5 January. Both Israel and the US have complained repeatedly, since the entry of the Palestinian National Authority as a government, of what they consider "positions favorable to the Palestinians." Indeed, UNESCO has adopted various decisions in recent years, in its areas of responsibility favorable to Palestinian claims, and last May declared Israel as an "occupation power". The abandonment of UNESCO by Israel as a so-called measure of force is rather a sign of failure on the part of their diplomacy aimed at imposing their positions (with the support of the US), which was the usual attitude. It should be noted that the Director of Unesco is elected by the member countries and their decisions and practices are fully agreed with them. DAMASCUS, December 25 -- The war in Syria has led to a shortage of men in the country. Now the Syrian women want their men back, and ask the EU to “kick them out” so that they return and help rebuild the country. The conflict in Syria is coming to an end. Donald Trump has stated that IS is defeated and promised to withdraw all US troops from the area. Even Israel argues that the war is over, and Russia Today pumps out images of Christmas celebrations in Damascus. The long, bloody war has left deep traces in Syria’s demographics. An on-site reporter notes that “about 70 per cent of the people he meets are young women”.
“Look around, you see only women. At the University, in the street, in cafes, only women. Most young men left Syria,” says the female students Safaa and Sheima. Another woman, Lina, says that Assad should give those who fled from the military service amnesty, but she also has a proposal to the countries that have taken in many men from Syria: “The solution is to kick them out and send them back to Syria so they can start rebuilding the country,” she says. At the same time, the shortage of men means that Syrian women are making great progress in working life, by entering professions previously dominated by men. “In the past, it was not accepted for women to work in certain areas, but now society is forced to accept it and that is good,” says Safaa. ROTTERDAM, December 25 -- The yellow vest movement has spread to several countries around the world who are protesting similar issues. From France, Taiwan, Lebanon to Canada and far beyond:
BANGKOK, December 24 -- Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, the two Reuters news agency journalists jailed while reporting on last year's Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, are set to appeal the decision on Monday. The reporters were arrested in December 2017 and later sentenced to seven years in prison under the country's colonial-era Official Secrets Act for what prosecutors said was the possession of classified material on security operations. The duo - who have spent more than a year behind bars - pleaded not guilty, insisting that they had been framed by the police. Reuters also disputed the charge and said they were set up after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya during a military crackdown that forced hundreds of thousands of people belonging to the long-persecuted, mostly Muslim minority to flee their homes in western Myanmar's Rakhine State for neighbouring Bangladesh. The ruling in September by a Yangon district court sparked international outcry and widespread condemnation. Media advocates say the convictions sent a chilling message about investigating sensitive issues in Myanmar as it emerges from decades of military rule. But calls for the reporters' release have fallen flat inside Myanmar, with civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi saying in September that the jailing of the reporters had nothing to do with freedom of expression. She said they were not jailed because they were journalists. Outside Myanmar, Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, have been feted with a string of prestigious awards presented in their absence and hailed as heroes. PARIS, December 23 -- Three days from Christmas, fewer French “yellow vests” turned out for a sixth Saturday of protests, targeting border points as a fatal road accident brought the death toll to 10 since the movement began last month. A total of 38,600 people took part in protests across the country, well down from the 66,000 by the same time the previous Saturday, the interior ministry said. There were 220 people detained nationwide, 81 of whom were taken into police custody, it added. The number of demonstrators has been trending downwards since 282,000 people turned out for the first Saturday protest against planned fuel tax hikes on November 17. The movement, characterized by the high-visibility yellow vests worn by the protesters, then morphed into a widespread demonstration against Macron’s policies and style of governing. Health minister Agnes Buzyn told Le Journal du Dimanche (The Sunday Newspaper) Macron’s government was “in step with the demands of the yellow vests” as she called for “a more constructive dialogue.” Prime minister Edouard Philippe told the same newspaper his relationship with Macron has only “intensified” during the crisis, rather than become strained, as has been reported. “We talk a lot. We tell each other things,” he said. LONDON, December 22 -- Beefeater guards at the Tower of London switched their traditional red uniforms for yellow vests on Friday as they went on strike with staff at other historic sites over pensions. For the first time in 55 years, visitors to the mediaeval castle were met by a picket line. Staff at the Historic Royal Palaces, including Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace, staged a walkout, donning the high-visibility yellow vests worn by demonstrators in France. HRP has replaced their current pension system with a new one which includes increased employee contributions. "Young employees will lose money with this new scheme," Theresa, an HRP employee approaching retirement, told AFP. The change is all the tougher to swallow for these workers -- who say they are dedicated to their jobs and enhance the image of the British monarchy -- whose salaries are far from being "marvellous", said Theresa, who declined to give her surname. "This is what kept us working for HRP for such a long period of time because that (old) scheme was such a good one," she said. HRP said it had offered substantial compensation and transition arrangements to the 11 percent of staff who were affected.
Chris Baugh, assistant general secretary at the Public and Commercial Services Union, said: "We will continue until the employers will talk to us." He said HRP's pension move was "unnecessary and unfair". Beefeaters are the ceremonial guards tasked with looking after the crown jewels. They also welcome visitors to the tower. Further industrial action is planned for later this month and in the new year.
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