Middle East
Suicide bomber kills Afghan MP
A Member of the Afghan Parliament has been killed in a suicide attack, killing a further 20 people. The attack took part in the northern province of Samangan at a wedding, according to Police reports. A witness said that the attacker posed as a guest and embraced the MP, Ahmad Khan Samangani, before detonating the explosives. Mr Samangani was a prominent MP who acquired his seat in 2011, previously he was a commander in the Mujahideen militia during the 1980s civil war. The Taliban have denied involvement in the attack.
Africa
Arrest warrants issued for rebel leaders in DR Congo
The international criminal court has issued warrants for the arrest of rebel leaders Ntaganda and Mudacumura for war crimes. The men have been charged with targeting civilians in the east of the country. They are accused of separate crimes that include genocide, mutilation, rape and pillage. Commentators in the region have said it will prove difficult to find the two men since their whereabouts is unknown.
UN reach Syria massacre site
The United Nations have reported that observers have reached the site of Thursday’s massacre in Tremseh. It is reported to be the bloodiest single event in the Syria crisis, where 200 people are believed to be killed. The al-Assad Regime has released a statement that the military led operation was aimed at rebel fighters, with no details of civilian deaths. A UN spokeswoman, Sausan Ghosheh, told Reuters news agency that “We have sent a large integrated patrol today to seek verification of the facts.” Kofi Annan added to international condemnation by saying he is “shocked and appalled” at the news.
The Americas
America-Cuba relations progress
The first Miami-Cuba cargo ship has reached Cuba after half a century of such relations not existing. The vessel was carrying humanitarian supplies and gifts to relatives, which aren’t included in the US trade embargo that currently exists against Cuba. The cargo route will operate weekly. Other routes do exist between the two countries, but not previously with Miami where a huge population of exile Cubans live. Barack Obama relaxed the restrictions to allow for such transactions in 2009.
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