Stop stories from the global news curation service, DAWNS Digest
Kenya Decides: Kenyatta Wins Presidency; Odinga Likely to Challenge Results
Meanwhile, peace is holding as the court system evaluates the apparent losers claims of a disputed election. “Strongholds of defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga were peaceful on Sunday, apparently reflecting a desire by Kenyans to avoid a repeat of the bloodshed that followed the last election five years ago. Odinga has refused to concede the election to rival Uhuru Kenyatta, but said he would challenge the result in the courts and urged his supporters to refrain from the violence that convulsed Kenya when he lost the disputed vote of 2007.” (Reuters http://reut.rs/Wg3ZHO)
UN: Syrian Refugees May Triple By Year’s End
The worst refugee crisis in the world is only becoming more dire. “The number of Syrian refugees, already past the million mark, could double or triple by the end of the year if no solution is found to the conflict, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said Sunday. Antonio Guterres said the UNHCR could only ‘mitigate’ the suffering of the people but the responsibility to find a solution fell on ‘those that have political responsibilities.’ ‘Now if this escalation goes on and nothing happens to solve the problem we might have in the end of the year a much larger number of refugees: twice or three times the present level,’ Guterres told reporters in Ankara.” (AFP http://bit.ly/Wg4bqw)
France Scores Big Military Victory in Mali
An al Qaeda hideout was discovered and overrun. “French and Chadian troops have captured the main al-Qa’ida “citadel” in northern Mali, according to French officials and journalists. After three weeks of close combat and aerial bombardment in the Ifoghas mountains, France believes that it has overrun the complex of tunnels and caves which the Islamist insurgents have built as a sanctuary over the last three years. Fighting continues but intercepted communications suggest that the remaining rebels are trying to flee on foot and on camel-back, presumably towards Mauretania or Algeria, according to Le Monde.” (Independent http://ind.pn/Wg3wp6)