NEW ZEALAND: A wide-ranging independent inquiry into the abuse of children and vulnerable adults in care in New Zealand over the span of five decades released a blistering final report today that found the country’s state agencies and churches failed to prevent, stop or admit to the abuse of those they were supposed to look after.

The scale of the abuse was “unimaginable” with an estimated 200,000 people abused over seven decades, the report said. 

The report said that the scrutiny of state and faith-run institutions was lax and predators rarely faced repercussions.

SUDAN: General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, today announced plans to attend ceasefire talks in Switzerland next month arranged by the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Gen Dagalo said: “We share with the international community the goal of achieving a full ceasefire across the country and facilitating humanitarian access to everyone in need.” 

NORTH KOREA: Rubbish carried by at least one North Korean balloon fell on the South Korean presidential compound today, raising worries about the security of key South Korean facilities during North Korean provocations.

The rubbish that landed on the presidential compound in central Seoul contained no dangerous material and no-one was hurt, South Korea’s presidential security service said. 

GERMANY: Berlin today banned an organisation accused of being an “outpost” of Iran’s theocracy, promoting the ideology of its leadership and supporting Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group. 

Police raided 53 properties around the country, including a prominent mosque in Hamburg.

The ban on the Islamic Centre Hamburg and five sub-organisations around Germany followed searches carried out in November.