Merkel rules out allowing Russia to re-join G7
European Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday accused Russia of using “aggressive and bullying tactics” against its neighbours. Tusk said that the European Union was determined to support these countries despite pressure from the Russian Federation. Tusk’s remarks came during an EU summit in Latvia with six former Soviet States. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled out allowing Russia to re-join the G7 group of industrialised nations. “So long as Russia does not comply with basic common values, a return to the G8 format is not imaginable for us,” she said.
Malaysia orders rescue of Rohingya refugees
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Thursday said that he had ordered the country’s Navy to rescue thousands of refugees adrift at sea. “We have to prevent loss of life,” he said, adding that humanitarian assistance to the stranded Rohingyas from Myanmar would be delivered by land and sea. A Thai official said that Myanmar had agreed to attend a regional summit on the crisis in Bangkok next week after earlier refusing to participate. The Rohingya Muslim community has accused Myanmar of applying state-sanctioned discrimination against it.
Two killed in Burundi
At least two people were killed and eight others wounded in clashes between protesters and police in Burundi’s capital city of Bujumbura on Thursday. One of those killed was shot as protesters attempted to reach the National Assembly, where three ministers were being sworn in. Police officials said that they had been deployed to various districts of the city to restore order to the capital. The United Nations said that over 110,000 people had fled to neighbouring countries. The crisis in the Burundi broke out after its President, Pierre Nkurunziza, announced his plan to run for a third term in office. Opposition groups said that Nkurunziza’s bid violated the country’s constitution and a peace deal which ended a 13-year-long civil war in the country in 2006.
Six policemen charged for Baltimore man's death
A Grand Jury in the United States city of Baltimore on Thursday charged six police officers accused in the death of Freddie Gray, an African-American man who died in April after suffering an injury to his spinal cord while in their custody. The charges included second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment. However, the jury did not allow the charge of false imprisonment brought against some of the officers by State Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby. The officers will appear in court on July 2.
Six civilians killed in Mali fighting
At least six civilians were killed in northern Mali during clashes between pro-government forces and separatist rebels on Thursday. Eyewitness reports said that the six persons were executed by a pro-government militia in the town of Tin Hama. International Aid agency Action Contre la Faim said that one of its workers had been among those executed. The group said that it had suspended its operations in the region due to the incident. However, neither the militia nor the country’s government issued a statement on the killings. A spokesperson for the United Nations said that its troops had been sent to the region to prevent the fighting from coming within five kilometres of the town of Menaka, where repeated violations of a ceasefire agreement have taken place.
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European Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday accused Russia of using “aggressive and bullying tactics” against its neighbours. Tusk said that the European Union was determined to support these countries despite pressure from the Russian Federation. Tusk’s remarks came during an EU summit in Latvia with six former Soviet States. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled out allowing Russia to re-join the G7 group of industrialised nations. “So long as Russia does not comply with basic common values, a return to the G8 format is not imaginable for us,” she said.
Malaysia orders rescue of Rohingya refugees
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Thursday said that he had ordered the country’s Navy to rescue thousands of refugees adrift at sea. “We have to prevent loss of life,” he said, adding that humanitarian assistance to the stranded Rohingyas from Myanmar would be delivered by land and sea. A Thai official said that Myanmar had agreed to attend a regional summit on the crisis in Bangkok next week after earlier refusing to participate. The Rohingya Muslim community has accused Myanmar of applying state-sanctioned discrimination against it.
Two killed in Burundi
At least two people were killed and eight others wounded in clashes between protesters and police in Burundi’s capital city of Bujumbura on Thursday. One of those killed was shot as protesters attempted to reach the National Assembly, where three ministers were being sworn in. Police officials said that they had been deployed to various districts of the city to restore order to the capital. The United Nations said that over 110,000 people had fled to neighbouring countries. The crisis in the Burundi broke out after its President, Pierre Nkurunziza, announced his plan to run for a third term in office. Opposition groups said that Nkurunziza’s bid violated the country’s constitution and a peace deal which ended a 13-year-long civil war in the country in 2006.
Six policemen charged for Baltimore man's death
A Grand Jury in the United States city of Baltimore on Thursday charged six police officers accused in the death of Freddie Gray, an African-American man who died in April after suffering an injury to his spinal cord while in their custody. The charges included second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment. However, the jury did not allow the charge of false imprisonment brought against some of the officers by State Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby. The officers will appear in court on July 2.
Six civilians killed in Mali fighting
At least six civilians were killed in northern Mali during clashes between pro-government forces and separatist rebels on Thursday. Eyewitness reports said that the six persons were executed by a pro-government militia in the town of Tin Hama. International Aid agency Action Contre la Faim said that one of its workers had been among those executed. The group said that it had suspended its operations in the region due to the incident. However, neither the militia nor the country’s government issued a statement on the killings. A spokesperson for the United Nations said that its troops had been sent to the region to prevent the fighting from coming within five kilometres of the town of Menaka, where repeated violations of a ceasefire agreement have taken place.