Newsbug

27/09/2017

EU plans to take 50,000 refugees from Africa, Mideast

The EU unveiled plans on Wednesday (Sept 27) to take at least 50,000 refugees directly from Africa, the Middle East and Turkey to discourage migrant boats from making the risky Mediterranean crossing.

The proposal involves admitting refugees to European Union countries over the next two years under the bloc’s resettlement programme, which was introduced during the migration crisis that hit the continent in 2015.

“We need to open real alternatives to taking perilous irregular journeys,” European Union Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told a news conference in Brussels.
The European Commission said in a statement that it was “recommending a new EU resettlement scheme to bring at least 50,000 of the most vulnerable persons in need of international protection to Europe over the next two years”.

The EU has already resettled 23,000 people from refugee camps in countries outside the EU under the scheme, particularly Turkey and Jordan, which were overwhelmed with people fleeing the war in Syria.

27/09/2017

Iraqi Kurds decisively back independence in referendum

People living in northern Iraq voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence for the Kurdistan Region in Monday's controversial referendum.

The electoral commission said 92% of the 3.3 million Kurds and non-Kurds who cast their ballots supported secession.

The announcement came despite a last-minute appeal for the result to be "cancelled" from Iraq's prime minister.

Haider al-Abadi urged Kurds to instead engage in dialogue with Baghdad "in the framework of the constitution".

Kurdish leaders say the "Yes" vote will give them a mandate to start negotiations on secession with the central government in Baghdad and neighbouring countries.

27/09/2017

Interpol approves Palestinian membership bid

Interpol has approved the Palestinian Authority's membership bid, a new victory in its drive for international representation despite strong Israeli opposition.

Israel lobbies hard against Palestinian efforts to join global organisations to advance their goal of statehood. It claimed victory last year when the Palestinian bid to join the global police body was suspended.

Interpol approved the Palestinian application along with a bid by the Solomon Islands during its annual general assembly in Beijing on Wednesday.

26/09/2017

Uganda MPs brawl during parliament debate

Chaotic scenes broke out in Uganda's parliament as MPs debated the contentious removal of the presidential age limit.

Tempers flared and lawmakers were filmed brawling after it was alleged an MP had brought a gun into the chamber.

The speaker ordered a search but no gun was found, local media reported.

26/09/2017

Buddhist monks led mob attacks Rohingya refugees in Sri Lanka

A mob led by a group of extremist Buddhist monks today stormed a United Nations safe house for Rohingya refugees in a suburb of Sri Lanka capital on Tuesday (Sept 26) forcing the authorities to take the refugees under police custody.

The police have taken the group of 30 Rohingya refugees, who were staying at a safe house of UNHRC in Mount Lavinia until their resettlement, under their custody.

Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said the group of refugees including 16 children and 7 women arrived from Myanmar were taken into custody for their protection after the group of monks protested against their stay in the country.

The Buddhist monks led mob broke down gates and entered the walled multi-storied compound. The monks claiming the refugees are Muslim terrorists who killed Buddhist monks in Myanmar urged the mob to smash the premises as the women huddled with their children, AFP reported

Sri Lanka Navy rescued the 30 Rohingya refugees on 30 April this year after they were found drifting in a boat in Sri Lankan waters off the coast of Kankasanthurai.

The refugees were initially detained at the Mirihana Detention Centre until a court ordered to hand them over to UNHCR last month. The UNHRC in Sri Lanka had detained them at the safe house in Mount Lavinia.

26/09/2017

Saudi women 'to be allowed driving licences'

King Salman had issued a decree allowing women to be given driving licences, the Saudi Press Agency said.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that has forbidden women from driving.

Rights groups have campaigned for years to allow women in Saudi Arabia to drive. Some Saudi women have been fined and imprisoned for daring to get behind the wheel.

24/11/2016

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia’s border “doesn’t end anywhere”, addressing a televised awards ceremony for geography students. “That was a joke,& #822…

15/08/2016

FULL NEWS: http://newsbug.lk/2016/08/15/usain-bolt-wins-100m-gold/

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt became the first athlete to win three Olympic 100m titles by beating American Justin Gatlin to gold at Rio 2016.
Bolt, who says he is competing at his final Olympics, ran 9.81 seconds to replicate his success at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
Gatlin, twice banned for doping...

14/08/2016

FULL NEWS: http://newsbug.lk/2016/08/14/phelps-wins-23rd-gold-in-final-race/

Michael Phelps won his 23rd Olympic gold in what looks like being his final Games, as Britain took silver in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.
Phelps, 31, secured his fifth gold of Rio 2016 when he teamed up with Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller and Nathan Adrian to set a new Games record of three minute...

14/08/2016

FULL NEWS: http://newsbug.lk/2016/08/14/ny-shooting-imam-and-assistant-dead/

An imam and his assistant were shot dead as they walked along a street in the New York borough of Queens.
The men were approached from behind by a man who shot them both in the head, a police spokesman said.
Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, moved to the city from Bangladesh two years ago, reports in New Yo...

14/08/2016

FULL NEWS: http://newsbug.lk/2016/08/14/violence-erupts-over-us-police-killing/

Violence has broken out on the streets of the US city of Milwaukee, after an armed man, 23, was shot dead in a police chase on Saturday.
The man fled from a car after being stopped by police in traffic on Saturday afternoon, Milwaukee police said in a statement; he died from his injuries at the scen...

13/08/2016

FULL NEWS: http://newsbug.lk/2016/08/14/pakistan-arrests-baby-selling-gang/

Pakistani police have arrested several hospital workers over a scheme that sold newborn babies in Peshawar.
The gang swapped newborn babies with the bodies of dead infants in hospitals and maternity homes, and told their parents the child had died, police told the BBC.
The babies were then sold to c...