World in Focus: Sputnik’s Daily Current Affairs Program | 22/12/16

Thursday: Amnesty release information on surreal investigation into fake campaign groups; almost 5,000 Iraqi and Kurdish forces have been killed in the battle to retake Mosul from Daesh; and Italian Government announce bailout package for world’s oldest bank.

Amnesty international have released information on a rather surreal investigation into a fake human rights organization. We will be speaking to Amnesty about the worrying implications their findings have on the safety or rights workers, journalists and activists, as more and more fake campaign groups appear to be launching targeted cyber attacks.

Recent data released suggests that nearly 5,000 Iraqi and Kurdish forces have been killed in the battle to retake Mosul from Daesh. The fight for the city is expected to take longer than anticipated with Daesh putting up strong resistance.

A €20bn rescue fund for Italy’s banking sector has been approved by the country’s parliament, which includes a bailout of the world’s oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena: we’ll be looking into whether or not other Italian banks could soon find themselves in a similar situation, and what impact this could have across the Eurozone.

Members of Europe’s far-right populist parties have been quick to condemn German Chancellor, Angela Merkel’s immigration policies in light of tragic terror attacks. But given that many of those behind the attacks are in fact EU nationals — and the rise of violence against refugees and asylum seeker — we ask if refugees are being subjected to unfair stigmatization.

The UK Home Office has been condemned for its process for transferring unaccompanied child refugees to the UK. We hear from Human Rights Watch — the group behind the criticism.

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