French official is cautious about origins of wreckage
Officials probing the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 on Wednesday said that a piece of wreckage that washed up on Reunion island in the Indian Ocean was suspected to belong to the missing plane. The officials said that the part looked like a wing component from a Boeing-777, which is the aircraft model of the missing flight. While a United States official said that investigators had a “high degree of confidence” that the part belonged to a 777, an official from the French Air Force said that it was “too soon” to say whether it belonged to the missing aircraft. The flight, which was carrying 239 people aboard, vanished in March 2014. A massive search involving several countries has so far failed to find any trace of the aircraft.
Mullah Omar died in 2013, Afghan government says
Afghanistan’s government on Wednesday said that Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban, died in April 2013 in Pakistan. The Afghan government said that it had “credible information” to confirm the death. However, officials did not specify the nature of the information. The statement also called on “all armed opposition groups” to join and continue peace talks with the government, adding that the grounds for the talks were “more paved now than ever before”. While no Taliban spokesperson could be reached for comments, United States officials said that they believed reports regarding Omar’s death to be “credible” ones.
Bangladesh upholds death for Pakistan army associate
Bangladesh’s apex court on Wednesday upheld the death penalty for senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, who was an associate of the Pakistani army during the country’s war of independence in 1971. A four-member appeals bench of the court delivered the verdict against Chowdhury, who is the second former minister in the country to be found guilty for crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to death for charges of murder, the genocide of Hindus and “rampant abductions”.
Russia vetoes UN resolution on MH17 tribunal
The Russian Federation on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that called for establishing an international tribunal to prosecute those suspected of shooting down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine last year. While 11 countries out of the 15-member Security Council voted in favour of the Malaysia-authored resolution, China, Angola and Venezuela abstained from voting. Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said that it was premature to set up a tribunal. The Malaysian Airlines flight was carrying 298 passengers on board when it was shot down. Russia has denied allegations that it supplied anti-aircraft missile systems to the separatist rebels in Ukraine accused of shooting down the aircraft.
Israel approves construction of 300 settlements
The Israeli government on Wednesday approved the construction of 300 new settlement units at Beit El in the West Bank, hours after two illegally constructed buildings in the same area were demolished following a court order. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that it had authorised the construction of the new units, adding that planning for 504 more units in East Jerusalem had also been approved. Netanyahu’s office said that the 300 units had been promised three years ago following the demolition of other constructions in the Beit El area. The decision was criticised by the United Nations, the European Union and the United States.
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Officials probing the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 on Wednesday said that a piece of wreckage that washed up on Reunion island in the Indian Ocean was suspected to belong to the missing plane. The officials said that the part looked like a wing component from a Boeing-777, which is the aircraft model of the missing flight. While a United States official said that investigators had a “high degree of confidence” that the part belonged to a 777, an official from the French Air Force said that it was “too soon” to say whether it belonged to the missing aircraft. The flight, which was carrying 239 people aboard, vanished in March 2014. A massive search involving several countries has so far failed to find any trace of the aircraft.
Mullah Omar died in 2013, Afghan government says
Afghanistan’s government on Wednesday said that Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban, died in April 2013 in Pakistan. The Afghan government said that it had “credible information” to confirm the death. However, officials did not specify the nature of the information. The statement also called on “all armed opposition groups” to join and continue peace talks with the government, adding that the grounds for the talks were “more paved now than ever before”. While no Taliban spokesperson could be reached for comments, United States officials said that they believed reports regarding Omar’s death to be “credible” ones.
Bangladesh upholds death for Pakistan army associate
Bangladesh’s apex court on Wednesday upheld the death penalty for senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, who was an associate of the Pakistani army during the country’s war of independence in 1971. A four-member appeals bench of the court delivered the verdict against Chowdhury, who is the second former minister in the country to be found guilty for crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to death for charges of murder, the genocide of Hindus and “rampant abductions”.
Russia vetoes UN resolution on MH17 tribunal
The Russian Federation on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that called for establishing an international tribunal to prosecute those suspected of shooting down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine last year. While 11 countries out of the 15-member Security Council voted in favour of the Malaysia-authored resolution, China, Angola and Venezuela abstained from voting. Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said that it was premature to set up a tribunal. The Malaysian Airlines flight was carrying 298 passengers on board when it was shot down. Russia has denied allegations that it supplied anti-aircraft missile systems to the separatist rebels in Ukraine accused of shooting down the aircraft.
Israel approves construction of 300 settlements
The Israeli government on Wednesday approved the construction of 300 new settlement units at Beit El in the West Bank, hours after two illegally constructed buildings in the same area were demolished following a court order. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that it had authorised the construction of the new units, adding that planning for 504 more units in East Jerusalem had also been approved. Netanyahu’s office said that the 300 units had been promised three years ago following the demolition of other constructions in the Beit El area. The decision was criticised by the United Nations, the European Union and the United States.