• Khmer Rouge leaders charged with Cambodia genocide by international tribunal

    Nov 16
    <p>Two leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been found guilty of genocide by a UN backed-tribunal, Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).&nbsp;</p> <p>The genocide was conducted against the Cham Muslims and ethnic Vietnamese population, who were subject to a litany of crimes including murder, extermination, enslavement and torture.&nbsp;</p>
  • US sanctions 17 Saudi officials linked with Khashoggi murder
    <p>The US treasury imposed fresh sanctions on 17 Saudi officials allegedly implicated with the murder of US resident and Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.</p> <p>In a statement released on Thursday, Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said,</p>
  • Mass graves of Franco victims excavated in Spain
    <p>Archeologists have begun excavating mass graves in Spain dating back to the dictatorship of General Franco in order to try and identify victimes.&nbsp;</p> <p>Over 2000 victims have been uncovered so far.&nbsp;</p> <p>The majority of the bodies currently being excavated are expected to be leftists who were sentenced to death by military judges between 1939-1956, the first half of General Franco’s military dictatorship.</p>
  • Hamas and Israel agree to ceasefire after an escalation of violence in Gaza
    <p>Hamas and Israel have agreed to an Egyptian mediated ceasefire negotiation following two days of escalated violence.&nbsp;</p> <p>The proposed ceasefire agreement offers to reduce Israel’s blockade of Gaza and open entry points through which people may travel into Israel.&nbsp;</p> <p>The current escalation in the conflict was sparked after Israel attempted a military raid on Gaza on Sunday which resulted in the deaths of seven Hamas fighters and one of their Lieutenant Colonels.&nbsp;In retaliation Hamas launched 400 rockets into Israel, a hundred of which were blocked by Israeli’s Iron Dome missile defense system.&nbsp;</p> <p>Israel in return bombed 100 sites including those used for civilian purposes.&nbsp;These include civilian buildings, the Al-Aqsa TV channel, the Al-Amal hotel, a Hamas-run television building and a building Israel claimed was used for military purposes but Palestinians say housed a kindergarten. Three large residential buildings in Gaza were also destroyed.</p>
  • UN will not aid Myanmar with long-term camps for returning Rohingya Muslims
    <p>A confidential briefing paper circulated within the UNHRC revealed that the United Nations is not willing to provide humanitarian assistance to the returning Rohingya Muslims, if they are interned in camps.&nbsp;</p> <p>Instead, the UN has said it will only support resettlement on the condition that returnees are resettled into the “places of refugees’ origin or choice”.&nbsp;</p>
  • Outbreak of Ebola in DRC threatens Uganda
    <p>An outbreak of ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been described as the largest spread of the infection in the country, with 329 confirmed cases.&nbsp;</p> <p>Half of the reported cases are in Beni, a north-east city in the DRC.&nbsp;</p>
  • US imposes sanctions on Russian-backed entities and individuals
    <p>The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stated last week they are imposing sanctions on three individuals and nine entities backed by Russia.&nbsp;</p>
  • Dozens killed in Mogadishu hotel attack
    <p>As many as 52&nbsp;people were killed when attackers detonated at least two bombs and stormed a hotel in Mogadishu near the headquarters of Somalia’s Criminal Investigation Department.</p> <p>The militant Al-Shabab organisation, which has been known for regular attacks on the capital, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they were targetting government officials who were staying at the hotel.</p>
  • China’s human rights record criticised at UPR
    <p>China's human rights record was criticised by western nations such as France, Germany and the United States this week during the country's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council. &nbsp;</p> <p>Member states at the Counil called on China to close detention centres where an estimated million Uighur Muslims are said to be detained.&nbsp;</p>
  • Tensions in Central African Republic as refugees start returning
    <p>Tensions have risen within the city of Carno in Central African Republic&nbsp;(CAR) as refugees, who are predominately Muslim, have started to return to find their homes and businesses occupied, exacerbating the conflict between Muslim and Christian communities. &nbsp;</p> <p>Aid organisations and the UN aim to build new houses to ease tensions and allow occupants to voluntarily leave.</p>
  • Tom Malinowski flips New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District as Democrats gain the House

    Following a much anticipated by-election in New Jersey, Tom Malinowski unseated the incumbent five-term Republican representative Leonard Lance. This followed a reclamation of the House by the Democratic party whilst the Republicans retained control over the Senate. 

    During this time he worked on a number of projects including supporting persecuted minorities targeted by ISIS in Iraq; defending LGBT rights globally and overseeing the appointment of the first Special Envoy for LGBT rights; decreasing civilian casualties from US military operations; and he backed UN efforts to investigate war crimes committed during the Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. 

    Malinowski had served as the former assistant secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour from 2014-2017. 

  • New Caledonia votes against independence from France

    The French Pacific territory New Caledonia rejected independence in a referendum, although the winning majority was significantly smaller than predicted.

    With voter turnout over 80%, 56.4% opted to remain as part of France.

    Polls had actually forecasted a win of up to 75% for the ‘no’ [to independence] campaign.

    New Caledonia is of strategic importance to France as a foothold in the Pacific.

  • Threat of famine loom as aid deliveries are blocked in Yemen

    The blockage of aid shipments has threatened famine in Yemen, warned the United Nations, as fighting between the Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels, reportedly backed by Iran, continues.

  • Libya's rival assemblies forge agreement

    During talks between Libya’s rival assemblies an agreement was forged to unify the government under a central authority and reform state institutions. 

    The United Nations which had been assisting both sides has welcomed the progress made in these talks which finished on Wednesday. 

    There is, however, concern that whilst administrative bodies may agree to these decisions, armed militias may not as they have benefited from the nation’s disunity. 

  • Boko Haram attacks two villages and IDP camp

    Boko Haram have attacked two villages in northeastern Nigeria, Bulaburin and Kofa, as well as a camp in Dalori for internally displaced people (IDP), resulting in the deaths of at least 12 civilians, reports Al Jazeera.  

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…