Asia
US President Obama hails Burma’s ‘remarkable journey’
Burma is on a “remarkable journey” of reform but has much further to go, Barack Obama has said as he made the first visit to the South East Asian nation by a serving US president. A desire for change had been met by an agenda of reform, he said, and he was there to extend a “hand of friendship”. But, in a speech at Rangoon University, he urged Burmese people to accept Muslim Rohingyas after recent violence against them. The visit was intended to show support for the reforms enacted by Thein Sein’s government since the end of military rule in November 2010, but activists have cautioned the visit may come too soon – political prisoners remain behind bars and ethnic conflicts in border areas are unresolved. On Monday another prisoner amnesty was announced, with about 50 of the 66 inmates freed reportedly political detainees. About 200 political prisoners remain in prison, activists say.
India arrests over Facebook post criticising Mumbai shutdown
Police in India have arrested a woman they say criticised the shutdown of the city of Mumbai after the death of politician Bal Thackeray. She made the criticism on Facebook, and a friend who “liked” the comment was also arrested, say police. The women, accused of “hurting religious sentiments”, were released on bail after appearing in court in the town of Palghar. Mr Thackeray was a Hindu nationalist and one of the most divisive figures in Indian politics, who was revered by his followers and often accused of inciting tensions between Hindus and Muslims. His death on Saturday afternoon brought Mumbai to a halt as businesses shut and taxis stayed off the roads for fear of violence by supporters of the right-wing Shiv Sena party he founded. The inconvenience angered many, with the 21-year-old arrested woman writing: “people like Thackeray are born and die daily and one should not observe a [shutdown] for that.” In recent months, police have arrested a number of people in similar cases, which are being seen as a test of India’s commitment to freedom of speech.
Chinese children die of carbon monoxide exposure
Five street children have been found dead in a large bin in south-west China after succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning, state media report. The children were found with the remnants of burned charcoal, suggesting they could have been burning it to keep warm. The boys, found in the city of Bijie in the southwestern Guizhou province, are thought to have been aged around ten. The case has caused uproar on Chinese social media sites, with some accusing the local authorities of negligence, while others blame the boys’ parents.
Middle East
Fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza kill 25
At least 25 more people have died in the Gaza Strip today as Israeli forces kept up airstrikes they say are intended to stop rocket attacks into Israel. Ninety-four Palestinians and three Israelis have died since Wednesday, including nine members of a Gaza family apparently killed in error. Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was ready to expand the operation after authorising the mobilisation of up to 75,000 army reservists. Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has said an Israeli ground invasion would have “serious repercussions” and that Egypt would enver accept it “and neither will the free world”. Egypt has been prominent in efforts to secure a ceasefire, with a senior Egyptian official saying there are “encouraging signs”. The Arab League is sending a delegation of foreign ministers to Gaza tomorrow following an emergency meeting in Cairo yesterday.
Save the Children warns of ‘winter risks’ in Syrian refugee camp
International charity Save the Children has warned that 200,000 Syrian refugee children are at serious risk from freezing temperatures as winter takes hold in the Middle East. Many Syrian families have fled the ongoing fighting in their country for neighbouring Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, with more than two million people displaced within Syria. Save the Children says many are living without proper shelter and clothing and may not survive the harsh conditions. The charity is launching an appeal for funds, saying the elderly, the sick and the very young are most at risk from the torrential rain and sub-zero temperatures which are normal in many parts of the Middle East in winter. Activists say more than 38,000 people have been killed in the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In recent developments, government artillery has been pounding the southern suburbs of Damascus, while fighting is intense in and around the second city of Aleppo, where rebel fighters say they have seized an important military base.
Europe
French opposition party in disarray over leadership vote
A vote to decide who will lead France’s conservative opposition party, the UMP, has plunged the party into disarray and acrimony. Both candidates are claiming victory and have accused their rival of fraud and ballot-stuffing. The candidates, Jean-Francois Cope and ex-Prime Minister Francois Fillon, are separated by a mere handful of votes. A final result is expected later today, but party grandees say the UMP has been damaged by the infighting and have called for it to stop. “We have to get out of this lamentable situation to avoid the implosion of our party,” said former prime minister and foreign minister Alain Juppe in a blog.
UK ‘sleepwalking’ out of the EU, says Labour leader as Cameron advocates lower spending
British Prime Minister David Cameron and leader of the opposition Ed Miliband have been speaking to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference this morning. Mr Miliband said Britain is “sleepwalking” into leaving the European Union, which would leave the UK “voiceless and powerless” and undermine its economy. However, he argued that pro-Europeans could not turn a “blind eye” to the EU’s failings and advocated a new approach based on “building alliances for change”. Mr Cameron called himself a “good European” but insisted it “wasn’t credible” for EU member states to impose cuts at home while the EU budget continued to go “up and up”. He compared this to “picking the pockets” of Europe’s citizens, whom he claimed were on his side. Mr Cameron will be taking part in talks on the EU budget later this week and has been facing huge pressure from his party to push for a real-terms cut. A significant increase is currently proposed.
Latin America
Colombian peace negotiators join Farc delegates in Cuba
The next round of peace talks between the Colombian government and the Farc rebel movement are due to begin in Havana, Cuba, where government negotiators have arrived today to join Farc delegates. The talks aim to resolve five decades of conflict and were officially launched in Oslo, Norway, on 18 October. The Havana negotiations were due to begin last Thursday, but were delayed by four days as both sides said they needed time to work on “technical details to ensure the participation of civil society”. Chief government negotiator Humberto de la Calle said it was time for the rebels to show whether they were “willing to reach concrete and realistic agreements”.
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