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page 39 BURUNDI Burundi general shot dead dropping child off at school A security advisor to Burundi’s vice-president has been shot dead while dropping off his daughter at school in the capital Bujumbura. General Athanase Kararuza and his wife died instantly. No group has said it was behind the attack. More than 400 people have […]

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BURUNDI

Burundi general shot dead dropping child off at school

A security advisor to Burundi’s vice-president has been shot dead while dropping off his daughter at school in the capital Bujumbura.

General Athanase Kararuza and his wife died instantly. No group has said it was behind the attack.

More than 400 people have been killed in the turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza said he would run for a third term last April.

A string of high-ranking army officials have been targeted during the conflict.

Security forces have also been accused of killing opponents and dumping them in mass graves by rights group Amnesty International.

Shortly after the attack, the International Criminal court announced that it was starting a preliminary investigation into the violence in Burundi.

This will decide whether a full-blown investigation will take place, which could result in charges against those accused of being behind the violence.

S/SUDAN

US to dial back peace efforts in South Sudan

The United States is set to take a back seat in peace negotiations between the government of South Sudan and rebel leaders following failures on both sides to fulfill an agreement to form a transitional government.

On Saturday, the government denied landing permission for a plane carrying opposition leader Riek Machar because the rebel leader made an “arbitrary demand” to bring with him more weapons and troops than the two sides had previously agreed upon, U.S. Department of State spokesman John Kirby said in a statement Sunday.

“Given the actions by both sides to prevent or delay his return, it is now time for the parties to assume primary responsibility for facilitating the return of Riek Machar to Juba to form the [transitional government] and to demonstrate that they are genuinely committed to peace,” Kirby said.

UNITED STATES

US 2016: Republican rivals team up to slow Trump

Donald Trump’s two rivals for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination have announced they will now co-ordinate strategies against him.

Ted Cruz will cut campaigning in the Oregon and New Mexico primaries to help John Kasich, while the latter will give Mr Cruz a “clear path” in Indiana.

Mr Trump said his rivals were “totally desperate” and “mathematically dead”.

He has a clear lead in delegates but may still fall short of the 1,237 needed to win outright.

If he does not reach the target, the vote will go to a contested convention – where a different nominee may emerge through negotiations among party figures.

Donald Trump currently has 845 delegates, Mr Cruz 559 and Mr Kasich 148.

EGYPT

President Sisi in warning over anti-government protests

Egypt’s president has warned against what he called attempts to destabilise the state, ahead of planned anti-government protests.

In a televised address, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said “evil” forces were conspiring against the country but would not succeed.

A range of groups have called for demonstrations, including against the handing of two islands to Saudi Arabia.

Security has been stepped up across the country and at key sites.

The protests have been called in defiance of an anti-protest law that gives the authorities the power to ban gatherings of more than 10 people.

Monday is also national holiday that marks the anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982.

President Sisi’s decision earlier this month to cede control over the two Red Sea islands sparked a rare public backlash against him.

GERMANY

Obama to deploy 250 more Special Forces troops to Syria

President Barack Obama says he is to send up to 250 more special forces troops to Syria to support local militias in the fight against so-called Islamic State (IS).

The new deployment will bring to 300 the number of US special forces soldiers in Syria.

Speaking in Hannover, Germany, Mr Obama said the troops would not lead the fight but would provide training.

He has repeatedly ruled out sending in American ground forces.

“Make no mistake,” he said. “These terrorists will learn the same lessons that others before them have, which is: your hatred is no match for our nations, united in defence of our way of life.”

Earlier, US Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said IS had been pushed out of some strongholds in northern and eastern Syria.

“We believe the commitment of additional US special forces can play a critical role,” he added.

AFGHANISTAN

Afghan leader demands removal of Taliban from Pakistan

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has demanded neighboring Pakistan evict fugitive Taliban leaders from its soil and hand them over to Kabul for trial.

In a hard-hitting speech to a rare joint session of parliament Monday, Ghani said Pakistani leaders promised they would use force against Taliban leaders who refuse to end the war and join Afghan peace talks.

He went on to assert that insurgent leaders continue to use their “centers” in the Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Quetta for directing violence in Afghanistan.

“It is our exception that if Pakistan is unable to take action against them as per its commitments to the four-nation group, then they should be handed over to our Islamic courts so they are tried and punished for their crimes,” Ghani said.

S/ARABIA

S/Arabia announces major economic reforms

Saudi Arabia’s cabinet has agreed a broad-based economic reform plan, known as Vision 2030, revealing how the oil-reliant state plans to diversify its economy over the next 14 years.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Monday that the country was building up the its Public Investment Fund to become a major player in global markets.

He added that Saudi Arabia was restructuring its housing ministry to increase the supply of affordable housing, and creating a “green card” system within five years to give expatriates long-term residence.

Saudi Arabia will also sell shares in state oil giant Aramco and set up the world’s largest wealth fund in line with the plan, the deputy crown prince said separately in an interview with the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel after the government announced the plan.

S/AFRICA

S/Africa’s ANC to sue Malema over threat to take up arms

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) said on Monday it would sue opposition politician Julius Malema after he threatened to remove President Jacob Zuma’s government with the “barrel of a gun”.

Malema told Al Jazeera television on Sunday that the ANC used violence to suppress dissent, citing an incident last year when members of his radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party were ejected from parliament after heckling Zuma.

“We will run out of patience very soon and we will remove this government through the barrel of a gun,” said Malema, Zuma’s one-time protege and former ANC youth leader.

“Part of the revolutionary duty is to fight and we are not ashamed if the need arise for us to take up arms and fight,” Malema said.

EFF protest marches were often met with violent resistance by security forces, he said. The ANC said it would pursue legal action against Malema.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan contaminated sweets kill 23

At least 23 people have died from eating contaminated sweets in central Pakistan, police say.

The deaths began last week after a man in Punjab province bought the treats to celebrate the birth of his son.

He and 11 other relatives are among the dead – in all 77 people were affected. Five remain in a serious condition.

Police have arrested two owners of a local sweetshop and one of their employees while the source of the contamination is investigated.

Officials suspect pesticide from a store next to the shop may accidentally have found its way into the laddoos – ball-shaped sweets popular at special occasions.

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh LGBT editor hacked to death

Police in Bangladesh say two people including a leading gay rights activist and editor at Bangladesh’s only LGBT magazine have been hacked to death.

The US ambassador to Bangladesh condemned the killing of Xulhaz Mannan, who also worked at the US embassy.

Another person was also injured when the attackers entered a Dhaka flat.

Since February last year suspected militants have killed several secular or atheist writers and members of religious minority groups.

The two men were murdered two days after a university teacher was hacked to death by suspected Islamist militants.

So-called Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility – but the Bangladeshi government insists there is no IS presence in the country.