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As a military takeover of government buildings and institutions in Zimbabwe has dominated news headlines on Wednesday, flash flooding in Greece killed more than a dozen people and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for an investigation into the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar.
Here is a selection of news stories that you may have missed:
Lebanon’s president says Hariri detained in act of ‘aggression’
Lebanon’s president has accused Saudi Arabia of detaining Prime Minister Saad Hariri in what amounts to an act of “aggression” against his country.
Michel Aoun accused Riyadh of detaining Hariri, who resigned on November 4 in a televised addressed from Saudi Arabia, and limiting his outside contacts.
Aoun called it a “hostile act against Lebanon” and said Hariri’s detention violates international law.
Saudi Arabia has denied that it is detaining the Lebanese prime minister.
Death toll of Greece flash floods rises to at least 13
Severe flash flooding on the western outskirts of the Greek capital has killed at least 13 people.
Flooding hit the western outskirts of Athens after a severe overnight storm inundated homes and businesses with torrents of mud and debris.
Part of a major highway was knocked out and cars and trucks were tossed against fences and buildings.
| Rex Tillerson said the US would consider individual sanctions against those responsible for violence against the Rohingya [Aye Win Myint/Reuters] |
US’ Tillerson calls for probe into Myanmar Rohingya crisis
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called for an independent investigation into Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis.
Speaking at a joint news conference on Wednesday with leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar’s capital, Tillerson said Washington would consider individual sanctions against people found responsible for the violence.
However, Tillerson said he would not advise “broad-based economic sanctions” against the entire country.
About 600,000 Rohingya have sought refuge in Bangladesh after an outbreak of violence against them in Myanmar. Many have shared stories of rape, murder and other abuses carried out against them.
Angola sacks ex-president’s daughter as state oil chief
Angolan President Joao Lourenco fired his predecessor’s daughter from her influential post as head of the Sonangol state oil company, the presidency said in a statement.
The sacking marks a watershed moment in Lourenco’s young presidency as he seeks to assert his authority and clear out the legacy of his predecessor, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled for 38 years.
Lourenco swept to power as the ruling party’s candidate in August’s elections.
Russia passes ‘foreign agent’ bill for foreign media
The lower house of the Russian parliament passed a bill to introduce “foreign agent” status for foreign media outlets.
The bill would subject foreign media organisations operating in Russia to undergo increased scrutiny and restrictions and register as “foreign agents” on official paperwork..
The measure comes after the US Department of Justice forced the Moscow-backed RT television network to register as a “foreign agent” in the US earlier this week.
“Any attempts to encroach on the freedom of Russian media abroad… will not remain without response from Moscow,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.
SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies
