Hamas, Fatah sign unity deal

April 24, 2014

RAMALLAH: Rival Palestinian leaders from the West Bank and Gaza Strip agreed on Wednesday to form a unity government soon, bringing thousands of people on to the streets in celebration. Amid the jublilation, an Israeli air strike on Gaza wounded six people, the coastal territory’s ruling movement Hamas said. “An agreement has been reached on the formation within five weeks of an independent government headed by President Mahmoud Abbas,” said a joint statement read out by Hamas’s Gaza premier Ismail Haniyeh in front of a visiting delegation from the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).

It was not the first time that the rivals have announced a deal to end seven years of separate Palestinian administrations in the West Bank and Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the unity deal showed Palestinians were not serious about 11th-hour efforts to salvage US-brokered peace negotiations. Shortly after the deal was announced an Israeli warplane attacked a target at Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza City, wounding six people, one seriously, the Hamas interior ministry said.

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Sweden calls for release of OSCE group in Ukraine

April 25, 2014

A group of OSCE observers being held in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slaviansk includes three German soldiers, a German translator, and military observers from the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden and Denmark, a spokesman for the ministry in Berlin said.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote:

“Extremely concerned with OSCE inspectors being abducted in Eastern Ukraine. Including one Swede. They must be released immediately.”

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Woman killed in clash between Egypt’s Brotherhood, security forces – sources

April 25, 2014

CAIRO, April 25 (Reuters) – A supporter of Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood was killed on Friday in clashes with the security forces in Fayoum province, south of Cairo, medical sources said. The woman, Reda Dahish, died after being hit by birdshot in her stomach. Six other people were injured, the sources said. A Reuters witness saw Brotherhood supporters throwing rocks and fireworks at security forces who fired teargas and used birdshot against the 2protesters. Egypt has faced a surge in violence after the army overthrew President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in July following mass protests against him a year after he was elected.

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