• Nigerian government backs out of release deal with Boko Haram

    May 25
    The Nigerian government called off a deal with Boko Haram to release some of the abducted schoolgirls, reports the BBC.

    Nigeria’s government backed down form a deal that would have seen the release of 100 detained Boko Haram militants in exchange for abducted school girls.

    The reasons behind the government’s decisions to cancel the swap still remain unclear.
  • Pope Francis bypasses Israel to visit Palestinian regions
    Pope Francis visited the West Bank in what was seen as a symbolic acceptance of Palestinian statehood in a trip to the Palestinian region today, whilst labelling the failure of talks between Palestine and Israel unacceptable, reports The Guardian.
  • Suicide attack kills 3 in Nigerian city
    A suicide attack within the Nigerian business district of Jos in the Plateau state killed at least 3 people today, reports the BBC.

    The second attack on the city of Jos, com

  • Palestinian offer to renew peace-talks with Israel rejected by US
    A Palestinian offer to resume talks with Israel was rejected by the US Secretary of State John Kerry this week, reports Gulfnews.
  • New Ukrainian president pledges to align country with Europe and resolve conflict with separatists
    Ukraine’s presidential elections were won by a billionaire who has pledged to end the conflict with pro-Russian separatists and align the country with Europe, reports Reuters.

    Petro Poroshenko, who previously served in a cabinet under former president Viktor Yanukovich, received an overwhelming majority in the first round of voting.
  • EU prepares sanctions packages against Russia
    A document detailing three EU sanction scenarios against Russia emerged today ahead of discussions at a leaders’ summit next week, reports Reuters.

    The lowest level of sanctions would restrict imports of Russian luxury goods and ban exports of fertilisers, chemicals, tyres and vessels, whilst also banning all arms imports and exports.
  • French troops engage in combat with militant rebels in CAR
    French peacekeeping troops in Central African Republic engaged in conflict against the Seleka rebels north of the Capital today, reports Reuters.

    The troops used helicopter gunships, after a French base last week came under fire from the rebels killing at least one peace-keeping troop.
  • Somalia's parliament stormed by Al Shabaab
    At least four people have been killed in Somalia after the armed group, Al Shabaab, stormed the parliamentary building with guns and bombs, reports Reuters.
  • Thailand must revoke abusive martial law powers says HRW
    The Thai military should immediately revoke abusive martial law powers, end censorship and release all people who have been arbitrarily detained, said Human Rights Watch in a statement released today.
  • Sikh diaspora group appeals US court dismissal of 1984 riots case
    US based diaspora group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has appealed against a US court decision to dismiss a case seeking justice for the 1984 riots, Times of India reports.

    Arguing that the case "touches and concerns" the United States, the SFJ is taking the case before the US Court of Appeals. The appeal also seeks to determine that the riots which left thousands of Sikhs dead was a "genocide".
  • Ceasefire in Mali after rebels seize Northern towns

    Tuareg separatists in Northern Mali have agreed to a ceasefire with the government after seizing control of several towns earlier this week, as unrest threatened to plunge the country into all out war.

  • PLO warns Israel against unilateral border moves

    The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) has warned Israel against unilateral moves to define permanent borders for the West Bank, stating that it could result in a renewed conflict.

    Speaking to Bloomberg, Hanan Ashrawi said,

  • Katanga handed 12 year sentence by ICC

    Congolese militia leader Germain Katanga has been handed a 12 year sentence by the International Criminal Court on Friday over his role in a 2003 massacre of a village.

    Katanga was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in March over the 2003 attack, in which over 200 villagers were killed, many butchered with machetes.  

  • UN Security Council imposes sanctions on Boko Haram

    The United Nations Security Council has approved sanctions against Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram on Friday, adding it to a list of al-Qaeda-linked organisations.

    Under the UN's 1267 sanctions list, Boko Haram will be subject to an international asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

  • Russia and China block referral of Syria to ICC
    Russia and China, using their veto powers, blocked a draft UN Security Council resolution that called for the crisis in Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC), reports The Guardian.
Subscribe to International Affairs

Most-Read Articles

British Tamil engineer takes F1 podium spotlight after Mercedes win
British Tamil engineer Arun Rajkumar became an unexpected face of Mercedes’ Austrian…
Sri Lanka attends Khamenei funeral as Iran's allies gather to mourn
Sri Lanka has sent Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih to Tehran to represent Colombo at the…
Vijay looks back on Eelam solidarity, but not forward
The Tamil Nadu chief minister, Vijay, made a brief reference to Eelam Tamils during a…
Sri Lanka revives infamous Israeli-made Kfir warplanes
The Sri Lanka Air Force has carried out the first test flight of its upgraded Israeli-…
Transitional justice cannot exist without truth
Illustration by Sagi Thileepkumar. "It happened; therefore, it can happen again…it…