News / News Bulletin

Lebanon’s Samir Geagea backs Aoun presidency

Monday, 18 January 2016 6:43 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 18 January 2016 6:44 PM ]

Lebanon’s Christian leader, Samir Geagea backs Michel Aoun presidency.

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

Lebanon’s Christian leader Samir Geagea has backed his rival Michel Aoun in his quest for presidency. Geagea took the decision after a meeting with Aoun in Beirut. The move is seen as an apparent break with the Saudi-backed leader of the Future Movement Sa’ad al-Hariri.
An Israeli settler has killed a Palestinian man and injured another in the occupied West Bank. The settler ran over the Palestinians by his car. Earlier on Monday, Israeli troops shot dead another Palestinian over an alleged stabbing attack.
Iran’s defense minister has rebuffed US sanctions on the country’s missile program. Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan says the measures do not impact missiles industries since they’re based on domestic capabilities. Washington has blacklisted a number of Iranian companies and individuals over Tehran’s missile program.
Turkish prosecutors have launched a judicial inquiry against the leader of the main opposition party. Kemal Kilicdaroglu has called president Erdogan a tinpot dictator. Kilicdaroglu has been accused of insulting the president. The C-H-P leader could be handed down a prison term.
At least 26 people have been killed in a Saudi airstrike on a building in Yemen’s capital Sana’a. At least 15 people have been injured in the attack. 4 other Yemenis were also killed in airstrikes in Sa'ada and Ta’izz provinces.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization is calling for a 50-million-dollar aid package to help drought-hit Ethiopians. UN officials say the number of people in need of emergency food is on the rise. Ethiopia is experiencing an unusually poor harvest season which has been blamed on El Nino phenomenon.
A court in Pakistan has acquitted the country’s former military ruler over the killing of a separatist leader. Pervez Musharraf was indicted in 2006 in the murder case of Nawab Akbar Bugti. Musharraf has been under house arrest since his return from a self-imposed exile.
Amnesty International says female asylum seekers heading towards Europe are subjected to physical abuse and financial exploitation. The rights group has urged European countries to provide more protection for female asylum seekers. It has also called on E-U countries to provide safe and legal passage for the refugees.