Iraqi cameraman executed in Syria

Fighters linked to al-Qaeda have kidnapped and executed an Iraqi freelance cameraman working in northern Syria, the first foreign journalist killed by fighters in the rebel-held north, according to a press freedom watchdog.

The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said the al-Qaeda affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) seized Yasser Faysal al-Joumaili on Thursday while he was on a reporting trip in northern Syria`s Idlib province on December 4. "Joumaili had been working as a freelance cameraman for an unidentified Spanish media outlet in strife-torn Aleppo province for about 10 days" said Soazig Dollet, head of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for the Middle East and North Africa desk. He was kidnapped by fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) while on his way out of Syria and executed in the northwestern border province of Idlib on Wednesday, she added. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Joumaili was stopped at a checkpoint by three armed men who then shot him. The Baghdad-based Journalistic Freedoms Observatory (JFO) said Turkish officials were not allowing Joumaili`s body to be brought out of Syria. "The family of Joumaili told JFO that the body of their son was stuck at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey and Turkish authorities were preventing it from passing," the group said. It said Joumaili was 34 and married with three children. He was from the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, a key battleground in the insurgency that followed the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, and had done work for Al Jazeera International and the Reuters news agency. In recent months, ISIL has kidnapped dozens of Syrian activists and news providers, as well as several foreign journalists. The group, which has its roots in al-Qaeda`s Iraq affiliate, was accused of assassinating Syrian reporter Mohammad Saeed, who worked for Al-Arabiya news channel, in his native Aleppo province in late October. According to Paris-based Repoters Without Borders, Joumaili was the eighth foreign journalist to have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011. Twelve Syrian professional journalists and at least 91 citizen journalists have also been killed.

Thai king calls for unity

Thailand`s King Bhumibol Adulyadej has asked the nation to work together for stability, as protests give way to celebrations as people marked the monarch`s birthday.

Cheering crowds lined the streets to celebrate the 86th birthday of Thailand`s revered king near his seaside palace on Thursday, an event marked with a lull in tensions after violent political protests. "To bring happiness to this country, everyone has to do the right thing," the king said in his brief address. "We have our duty and we all know our roles. For the benefit of our country, Thai people must be aware and must pay attention to this duty, for the good of the nation and its security." Thailand remains on edge following days of street clashes between police and protesters bent on overthrowing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curbing the political influence of her brother Thaksin. Protesters and police in Bangkok observed a temporary truce Wednesday in a dramatic move ahead of the birthday celebrations for King Bhumibol, who is treated as a near-deity by many Thais. Images broadcast live on all Thai television stations showed a sea of yellow, as thousands of people lined the streets wearing the colour associated with the king in the central coastal town of Hua Hin, where he has lived since leaving hospital in August.

Malala gets 2013 UN Human Rights Prize

Pakistani teenage activist Malala Yousafzai, who survived a Taliban assassination attempt last year, has been awarded the 2013 UN Human Rights Prize, an honour previously given to icons like late Nelson Mandela in recognition of outstanding achievement in human rights.

The prize is awarded every five years and has previously been bestowed on Amnesty International and former US president Jimmy Carter. "The Prize is an opportunity not only to give public recognition to the achievements of the recipients themselves, but also to send a clear message to human rights defenders the world over that the international community is grateful for, and supports, their tireless efforts to promote all human rights for all," the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement. Apart from Yousafzai, the other five winners of the award are son of freed slaves who works to eradicate slavery Biram Dah Abeid of Mauritania, campaigner from Kosovo for the rights of short statured people Hiljmnijeta Apuk, President emeritus of the World Federation of the Deaf Liisa Kauppinen, Former President of the Morocco Association for Human Rights Khadija Ryadi and Mexico?s Supreme Court of Justice. The award ceremony would take place at the UN headquarters here on December 10 as part of the annual commemoration of Human Rights Day, which would this year include the observance of the 20th anniversary of the creation of OHCHR and the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said human rights are increasingly permeating all corners of the work of the United Nations, and that is fundamentally changing the way the UN works with national authorities and the international community. "The key now is to implement the laws and standards to make enjoyment of human rights a reality on the ground. Unfortunately, too often, the political will, and the human and financial resources, to achieve this are lacking," she said. The High Commissioner said the 20 years since Vienna have seen many setbacks and a number of tragic failures to prevent atrocities and safeguard human rights. "In several instances where deplorable, large-scale violations of international human rights law were occurring, the international community was too slow, too divided, too short-sighted ? or just plain inadequate in its response to the warnings of human rights defenders and the cries of victims. We can and we must do better," she added.

Chinese filmmaker faces $205m lawsuit over children

Top Chinese film director Zhang Yimou is facing a S$205 million lawsuit after violating the country`s controversial one-child policy, a lawyer said Friday, prompting renewed debate around the rules.

Critics say China`s late-1970s family-planning law, which restricts most couples to one child, is selectively and sometimes brutally enforced, while the wealthy and well-connected are easily able to pay the fines levied for extra offspring. But in recent days some users of China`s popular online social networks have directed their anger at the policy itself, rather than Zhang, with some hoping the attention heaped on his case may hasten the eventual demise of the law, which authorities have recently moved to relax. The lawsuit was sent to the Intermediate People`s Court in Wuxi on Thursday, the hometown of Mr Zhang`s wife, one of the lawyers behind the action told AFP.

India expanding nuclear weapon facility’

A US-based thinktank has claimed that India is expanding its ability to produce highly enriched uranium for military purposes, including more powerful nuclear weapons, citing satellite imagery of an under construction gas centrifuge facility near Mysore.

In their latest report, David Albright and Serena Kelleher-Vergantini of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) said that India appeared to be finishing construction of what appears to be a second gas centrifuge facility at the Rare Materials Plant (RMP) near Mysore in Karnataka. The report said that India is also in the early stages of building a larger unsafe guarded centrifuge complex, the Special Material Enrichment Facility (SMEF), according to The Times of India. Noting that India’s enrichment plants are not under international safeguards or committed to peaceful uses, the report said the governments and suppliers of nuclear and nuclear related dual use goods throughout the world should be vigilant to prevent efforts by Indian trading and manufacturing companies to acquire such goods for the new centrifuge complex in Karnataka as well as for the RMP. ISIS had earlier lobbied against the India-US civic nuclear deal.

Iran deal ends need for missile defence’

Russia’s foreign minister says an international deal aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons will in the long run eliminate any need for a missile defence system in Europe.

American officials have said the missile defences it wants to install in Europe will protect NATO allies and counter any threat from Iran. Russia has long opposed the plan, and sees the system as a threat to the viability of Russia`s own nuclear arsenal as a deterrent. In Geneva earlier this month, leading world powers reached a deal with Iran to ensure that its nuclear program remains peaceful. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters after a meeting Wednesday with NATO counterparts there’s ‘no reason’ for the missile defence plan if that deal is implemented fully, according to TDS.

Ershad sticking to his decision: Aide

Sir (Ershad) is keeping well and is sticking to his decision of not participating in elections. There is no room for any confusion on the matter,” Retd Major Khalek Akhtar told reporters at Ershad’s Baridhara residence on Thursday.

The Jatiya Party chief had asked his party’s ministers and state ministers to quit from the ‘all-party’ cabinet by Thursday, Khalek said.

Action will be taken against those who would not resign on charges of breaching party discipline.

The party leaders would meet Ershad after submitting their resignations, the aide said.

The former military dictator directed Jatiya Party’s ministers and state minister to resign on Wednesday, a day after the party announced to boycott polls.

A strong contingent of security personnel were posted in front of the Jatiya Party chief’s residence on Wednesday.

Ershad told reporters he would commit suicide if efforts were made to arrest him.