MI5 chief calls for more up-to-date surveillance powers
Andrew Parker also says telecoms firms should provide more help in monitoring suspected terrorists and paedophiles
The head of MI5, Andrew Parker, has called for more “up-to-date” surveillance powers and said telecoms companies had an “ethical responsibility” to provide more help in monitoring the communications of suspected terrorists and paedophiles.
In the first live media interview ever given by a senior British intelligence official, Parker defended the British surveillance system and backed the government’s plans for new surveillance powers.
The interview, on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, came after the home secretary, Theresa May,summoned the biggest US internet providers and British phone companies to a meeting on Tuesday to seek their support for her new “snooper’s charter’’ surveillance bill.
United Nations: Hungary's treatment of refugees shocking and unacceptable
UN secretary general expresses outrage over use of teargas and water cannon, as thousands of people enter Croatia
The UN secretary general has condemned the Hungarian government’s treatment of refugees on its southern border, arguing that the use of teargas, pepper spray and water cannon on people fleeing war and hardship is not acceptable.
Hungary sparked outrage from the international community on Wednesday after firing gas canisters and spraying water at crowds of frustrated refugees who had briefly broken through a border gate in protest at being prevented from crossing from Serbia.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon said: “I was shocked to see how these refugees and migrants were treated. It’s not acceptable ... since they are the people who are fleeing the violence and persecution, we must ensure our compassionate leadership.”
Japan moves closer to passing controversial security bills amid scuffles in parliament
A panel in Japan's upper house has approved legislation that would see troops fight abroad for the first time since World War II. Opposition parties say the shift in policy violates the constitution.
Tensions were running high in Japan's parliament on Thursday, as members of the opposition and ruling parties pushed and shoved each other after the committee's vote.
The opposition has been battling to block the controversial legislation for a policy shift, which would allow the military to defend Japan's allies even when the country itself isn't under attack, and to do more in international peacekeeping.
In scenes unusually raucous for Japanese politics, opposition lawmakers had packed the corridors of the upper house in protest and surrounded the chairman of the security legislation committee in a bid to prevent physically a vote overnight. The Committee, however, approved the bills later on Thursday.
Burkina Faso presidential guard dissolve government in coup d'état
Latest update : 2015-09-17
Burkina Faso’s powerful presidential guard announced Thursday morning that it had dissolved the country’s interim government, in what the head of the country’s National Assembly called a “coup d’état”.
Soldiers from the presidential guard interrupted a cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening and detained the country’s interim President Michel Kafando, the prime minister and two cabinet members.
“Members of the presidential guard burst into the room of the cabinet of ministers at around 14:30 and took hostage the president of Burkina Faso, the head of state, Michel Kafando, the Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida, and the minister of public administration... and the minister of housing,” Moumina Cheriff Sy, the head of the transitional parliament, said in a statement on Wednesday night. Sy slammed the action as a “coup d’état” on Thursday morning.
The presidential guard’s move comes two days after a reform commission proposed dismantling the military unit.
Will Sri Lanka bring civil war criminals to justice?
UN Human Rights Council recommends an international tribunal, but President Sirisena, new to office, may be hesitant to comply.
The UN is calling for the creation of an international tribunal to finally bring former officials and rebels to justice for the rampant torture, forced disappearances, and civilian deaths during Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war.
The UN released the report on Wednesday after years of stalling from the former government under Mahinda Rajapaksa, who defeated the Tamil Liberation Tigers (LTTE) in 2009, although tensions have continued to flare since.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, expressed hope that the January election of new President Maithripala Sirisena would offer “ground for hope.”
High Court rules S Africa should have arrested Bashir
Court rejects government bid to appeal ruling it had legal duty to arrest Sudan's president during trip in June.
17 Sep 2015 07:29 GMT
South Africa's High Court has denied the government leave to appeal against a court ruling that it should have arrested Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a recent visit.
The High Court on Wednesday rejected the government's bid to appeal the ruling that it had a legal duty to arrest the Sudanese president.
"We do not hold the opinion that the appeal has reasonable prospects of success at all," Judge Hans Fabricius said in the country's administrative capital Pretoria.
"The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs."
"The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs."
The government allowed Bashir to leave the country on June 15 despite a court order blocking his departure, arguing that he had immunity from arrest during his visit to the country for an African Union summit.
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