WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Al-Shabab fighters are claiming to have seized control of Adan Yabaal, a town in central Somalia, on Wednesday.  Adan Yabaal is situated about 220 kilometres north of Mogadishu and serves as the logistical hub for government forces. Raids were launched by al-Shabab fighters before dawn on Wednesday, forcing the army to retreat after fierce battles, according to a security officer quoted…

Tigrayans deported from Saudi Arabia forcibly disappeared in Ethiopia

President Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia who is leading the war against TPLF.

Thousands of Tigrayan migrant workers in Saudi Arabia who were deported to Ethiopia by Riyadh have been locked up in detention camps and forcibly disappeared, a latest Human Rights Watch (HRW) report has revealed.  

Sudan’s Prime Minister resigns as army continues violent repression of pro-democracy demonstrators

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned following continued mass pro-democracy protests at the capital Khartoum.

His resignation grants Sudan’s military full control over the country as they continue their violent crackdown on democratic protesters.

Over 50 people have been killed since the military staged a coup in October which initially placed Prime Minister Hamdok under house arrest; the country was just one month away from transitioning to a civilian head of state. On Sunday two people were killed during pro-democracy protests.

Former Columbian military official arrested in connection to assassination of Haitian President

Former Columbian military official, Mario Antonio Palacios, has been arrested by Panama authorities under allegations of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise.

Palacios was detained during a stopover flight in Panama and asked to “voluntarily” board a flight to the US, the Hindu reports. After refusing the request, Panamanian officials told him that they would enforce an Interpol red notice issued by the US, which is addition to one Haiti had already issued.

There has been no immediate comments by lawyers for Palacios or Interpol.

‘A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought’ - UNSC joint statement on nuclear weapons

Photo Credit: UN Women

In a rare joint statement, the five permanent members of the UN Security council (the US, Russia, China, the UK, and France) pledged to address to “create a security environment more conducive to progress on disarmament” and avoid nuclear conflict.

Two Save the Children staffers among 35 killed in Myanmar massacre

Save the Children has confirmed that two of its staffers have been killed in a Christmas Eve massacre conducted by Myanmar’s military and killed at least 35 people, including women and children.

The massacre occurred on a highway in Kayah state, in eastern Myanmar, where prodemocracy rebels have been confronting the military.

“The military forced people from their cars, arrested some, killed many and burnt the bodies,” Save the Children stated.

Responding to the attack they told reporters:

A travesty of justice' - Egypt imprisons 3 human rights advocates

<p>Egypt's State Security Emergency Misdemeanor court has issued jail sentences to three prominent human rights activists who engaged in anti-government protests in 2019.</p> <p>The activists detained were Alaa Abd El Fattah, rights lawyer &nbsp;Mohamed el-Baqer, and the blogger Mohamed Ibrahim (also known as Mohamed Oxygen). El Fattah was sentenced to five years whilst the others were sentenced to four years each.</p>

UN Secretary-General urges Lebanon's leaders to address the economic crisis


In meetings with Lebanon's religious leaders, President, Prime Minister, and Parliamentary Speaker, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urged the country's leaders to address the dire economic situation Lebanon finds itself in and to resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout programme.

Tortured to death' - BBC investigation reveals Myanmar's mass killings

A BBC investigation has revealed that Myanmar's military carried a mass killing of at least 40 civilians in four separate incidents in Kani Township - an opposition stronghold in Sagaing District in Central Myanmar.

Eyewitness accounts detail that boys as young as 17 were tortured first before being buried in shallow graves. The BBC reports that these kills appear "to be a collective punishment for attacks on the military by civilian militia groups in the area, who are demanding that democracy is restored". 

Leftist Gabriel Boric wins Chile’s Presidential elections

With historic turnouts, left-wing candidate Gabriel Boric has won the presidency in Chile securing 56% of the votes compared to the 44% secured by his rival Pinochet-admirer, Jose Antonio Kast.

In accepting the speech he pledged to be “the president of all Chileans” and was immediately recognised as the victor by Last who phoned him to congratulate him. At 35, Boric is set to become Chile’s youngest-ever President.

UNHRC mandates landmark international war crimes probe in Ethiopia


On Friday the UN Human Rights Council voted to establish an international probe to investigate atrocities committed by both sides of the conflict in Ethiopia and prosecute those responsible.