Israeli foreign minister criticises Olmert
Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, has told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he should resign in the wake of the Winograd commission's findings. Olmert's party, the Kadima, have rallied behind the beleaguered PM, however, despite mounting public dissatisfaction with his judgements in the lead up to last year's war in Lebanon.
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, announced on Wednesday that he respected Israel for acknowledging its mistakes in Lebanon, and its ability to learn from these failures.
Thomas O'Dwyer explores the fallout from the Winograd report on openDemocracy.
Karzai raps knuckles over civilian deaths
Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has criticised foreign military commanders for the deaths of some 50 civilians killed this week amid coalition and militant fighting, and has exclaimed that his people's patience is wearing thin. United States-led forces have disclosed that they had killed 136 Taliban, yet were unaware of civilian casualties.
At least 22 Afghan soldiers have been killed in a bomb attack on a bus in Kabul by the Taliban.
Meanwhile, Iran has deported more than 36,000 Aghan refugees from its territories in the last ten days, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported. The speed at which this process has been enacted, not to mention the sheer scale, is problematic.
Hossein Mousavian, a former nuclear negotiator and close ally of former president Muhammad Khatami, has been arrested by Iranian officials on charges of espionage.
Bush veto stands amid Democrat's anxiety
The US House of Representatives failed on Wednesday to overturn the presidential veto wielded by George W. Bush, vis-à-vis a timetable for US troop withdrawals in the proposed military budgetary bill. In order to override the presidential veto the Democrat's required a two-thirds majority; they attained a 222-203 vote. House speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D), voiced her desire for both parties to "strive to find a common ground" to resolve this disunion.
AU forces patrol Mogadishu
African Union (AU) peacekeeping troops have initiated patrols in northern Mogadishu, in an effort to garner local confidence in their presence. The forces are due to replace Ethiopian troops - now supporting the interim Somali government - in securing the beleagured state. Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) Security Council has requested a contingency plan be drawn up for the likely deployment of UN peacekeepers to succeed the AU force.
Abu Omar al-Baghdadi 'killed'
US and Iraqi forces are purported to have killed the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq, a militant group associated with al-Qaida, in action in the north of Baghdad, Iraq's deputy interior minister disclosed on Thursday. US officials are yet to confirm the fate of Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, however, suspected killed ealier this week.
The UNHCR is heartened by the Iraqi government's initiatives to tackle the afflictions of internally displaced persons in the country, but warns that inadequate funds and insecurity are stiffling efforts.
National leaders are currently meeting in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheokh, Egypt, to discuss re-stabilising and re-building Iraq. Iraqi prime minster, Nouri Maliki, has urged delegates to cancel the country's debt.
ICC issue arrest warrants to Sudan
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Sudanese war crimes suspects. Khartoum's Justice Minister, Mohamed Ali Al-Mardi, has refused to accept the warrants, however, exclaiming that Sudan does not recognise the ICC. One of those sought by the ICC is the current humanitarian affairs minister.
Myanmar opposition implore UN assistance
Thirty members of Myanmar's opposition, the National league for Democracy, have called upon the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad - also the current president of the UN Security Council - to investigate the violent clashes of four years ago, when the group's leader, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was detained. Suu Kyi has remained in custody to this day.
UVF renounces terrorism
The paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) has proclaimed that it is to renounce the use of violence and will no longer exist in the capacity of a 'terrorist' organisation from midnight, Thursday. It does, however, intend to retain its weapons, although has said that they have been put "beyond reach".
