• Spain drops genocide investigation against China

    Jun 23

    An investigation into genocide against Chinese leaders in Tibet has been dropped by the Spanish High Court.

    The case, brought by a Tibetan monk with Spanish citizenship, was dismissed as it did not comply with new legislation that limits Spain's ability to investigate crimes against humanity committed abroad, the High Court said.

  • Israel launches air strikes over Syria
    Israel launched launched air strikes at nine targets in Syria, responding to the killing of a 14 year old boy in the Golan Heights by a missile attack on Sunday.
  • Egypt jails Al-Jazeera journalists amidst international condemnation
    Egyptian court Monday jailed three AL-Jazeera journalists on charges of aiding terrorists and endangering national security.

    Former BBC correspondent Peter Greste, former CNN journalist Mohamed Fahmy and a local producer Baher Mohamed were jailed for seven, seven and 10 years respectively.  Four other students and activists involved in the cases were also jailed for 10 years.
  • US will offer 'intense and sustained' support to Iraq - John Kerry
    The US Secretary of State John Kerry, today, pledged ‘intense and sustained’ support to Iraq whilst noting that the country would only survive when leaders took steps to bring it back together, reports the BBC.
  • Russian Foreign Minister commemorates Armenian genocide
    The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, paid tribute to Armenian genocide victims, during a visit to a  genocide memorial in Tsitsmernakaberd today.

    Lavrov who is on a two day visit to Armenia was accompanied by the Armenian Foreign Minister, Edward Nalbandian who invited him to attend visit the memorial, reports the Public Radio of Armenia.


  • 600K vote in unofficial Hong Kong referendum on democratic reforms
    Almost 600,000 have voted in Hong Kong in an unofficial referendum on the erosion of civil liberties and pro-democracy reforms, following Hong Kong return to Chinese rule in 1997.

    The referendum, deemed illegal by Beijing authorities, was initially scheduled to take place over a three day period via on-line polls, but was extended till June 29 after the voting website was targeted by cyber attack.
  • Two Palestinians shot dead by Israeli troops as search operation continues
    Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops in the West Bank on Sunday, as the IDF continued its search for the three missing Israeli teenagers, reports AFP and CNN.

    Israel accuses Hamas of abducting the three teenagers, Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel, who disappeared whilst hitch-hiking near Hebron on June 12.

    Speaking on Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had "no intention of harming everyone", adding, "Netanyahu said Israel had "no intention of harming anyone", adding, "but our forces are acting as necessary for self-defence, and from time to time, there are victims or casualties on the Palestinian side as a result."

  • Iranian Head of State opposes US intervention in Iraq
    Iran’s head of state, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said today that he opposed US intervention to quell the intensifying conflict in Iraq, reports The Guardian.
  • Russia sends troops to Ukraine border amidst ceasefire violations
    Russia is redeploying troops to the Ukrainian border and arming and training pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, said US officials Friday.

    Tanks and heavy artillery departed towards the border a senior US official told the Washington Post.
  • ISIS captures Iraq-Syria border post
    ISIS fighters captured the strategic border post, near the town of Qaim on Saturday which is a crossing to Syria from Western Iraq, reports Reuters and BBC.

    The capture is being viewed as strategically important as it would facilitate the transport of equipment and ammunition.
  • Heavy fighting around key sites in northern Iraq

    Militants from ISIS and Iraqi troops are locked in heavy fighting for the Baiji oil refinery and Tal Afar airport.

  • Israel receives first consignment of Kurdish crude

    The Kurdistan government in Iraq has delivered its first ever consignment of crude oil to Israel, reported Reuters on Friday.

    The direct export of oil by Kurdistan has riled Iraqi authorities, who say that the oil trade must be conducted through Baghdad.

    There was uncertainty of whether the oil tanker would be allowed to dock in the Israeli port of Ashkelon, however sources told Reuters that the ship arrived on Friday morning and the unloading of the shipment was underway.

    “If that tanker docks, Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will take an important step toward independence,” Nihat Ali Ozcan, an analyst at the Economic Policy Research Foundation in Ankara, Turkey, told Bloomberg, before the arrival of the ship was confirmed.

  • Amnesty warns against AU constitutional immunity amendment
    Attempts to give African leaders immunity from prosecution for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, will completely undermine the integrity of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights, before it even becomes operational, warned Amnesty International this week.
  • World refugee/displaced number highest since WW2 - UN

    The number of people worldwide who have fled from war or persecution exceeded 50 million in 2013, for the first time since World War Two, the UN refugee agency says.

    See the BBC’s report here and the UNHRC’s report here.

  • Pentagon to send 100 US special forces to Iraq - CNN
    17:28 BST

    The United States is expected to send 100 Special Forces to Iraq, including green berets, navy seals and army rangers deployed to Iraqi brigade across the country, reports CNN.

    A formal announcement from President Obama is expected later today.

    The Special Forces are expected to be train Iraqi forces to resist ISIS forces which are attempting to take over the country, as well as gathering intelligence information on the whereabouts and bases of ISIS.

    The expected announcement comes as the US had previously said there would not be any US troops involved in combat on the ground.

Subscribe to International Affairs

Most-Read Articles

Senior Buddhist monk from Anuradhapura remanded over sexual abuse of minor
A senior Sri Lankan Buddhist monk and chief prelate of the Anuradhapura Atamasthana,…
Velupillay makes history as first Tamil at a FIFA World Cup
Photograph: @Socceroos Nishan Velupillay has been selected in Australia's squad…
17 years today - A massacre in Mullivaikkal
To mark 17 years since the Sri Lankan military onslaught that massacred tens…
In Pictures - Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day commemorated in Mullivaikkal
All photographs by Uthayarasa Shalin Thousands of Tamils gathered at Mullivaikkal…
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay marks Mullivaikkal remembrance with pledge to support Eelam Tamils
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay issued a message on Monday evening marking…