US declares Myanmar committed genocide against Rohingya

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Myanmar’s violence and killings of Rohingya amounted to genocide, in a speech made at the Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier today. “The United States has concluded that genocide has been committed seven times,” said Blinken. “Today marks the eighth.” “I have determined that members of the Burmese military committed genocide and crimes against humanity.”

'Nowhere on earth are people more at risk than Tigray' - WHO chief

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted the ongoing crisis occurring in Tigray, starting that there is no where on earth where "people are more at risk". At a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus implicitly addressed those concerns. He said such was the scale of the crisis, it would be a dereliction of his professional duty not to speak out. The UN has been unable to get emergency food supplies into Tigray since mid-December. And while in recent weeks medical supplies have started to trickle in, after a six-month hiatus, the WHO and...

Lithuania cancels vaccine delivery to Bangladesh after abstention at UN

Lithuania has reportedly cancelled the delivery of more than 400,000 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to Bangladesh, citing Dhaka’s refusal to vote in favour of a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to reports, Rasa Jakilaitienė, a spokeswoman for Lithuania’s prime minister said the shipment of 444,600 doses which was agreed upon just last week, was now cancelled. Bangladesh was one of 35 countries that abstained from voting on the UN resolution against Russia, including Sri Lanka. Read more here . See how members of the UN...

Ukraine claims Russia is committing genocide – and takes it to court

Several senior Ukrainian officials, including president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, have claimed Russian actions verged on "genocide" with proceedings underway at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN, told the UN General Assembly that Russia had "come to deprive Ukraine of the very right to exist. They have come to resolve the Ukrainian issue, as their propagandists claimed". “it's already clear that the goal of Russia is not an occupation only, it is genocide," Kyslytsya added . "This is terror,” said Zelenskiy in a video message earlier this...

British foreign secretary 'absolutely' supports individual Brits going to fight in Ukraine, Russia puts nuclear deterrence forces on high alert

Foreign secretary Lizz Truss has said she would "absolutely" support individual Brits going to fight Russian forces in Ukraine. Following an announcement made by Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, who pledged to arm the country's international "friends" who chose to travel to Ukraine to fight alongside them. Lizz Truss was asked whether she would support the call during an appearance on the BBC's Sunday Morning programme. She said, "I do support that. Of course, that is something that people can make their own decisions about." The cabinet minister added, “The people of Ukraine are...

ICC may exercise its jurisdiction in Ukraine to investigate possible war crimes

International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan on Friday expressed his concern over the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said his court may investigate possible war crimes in the country. Khan who is currently on a mission In Bangladesh said in his statement ,

Head of torturous Afghan jail on trial, 30 years later, in Dutch court

Pul-e-Charki Prison, Kabul, January 2012 A 76-year-old Afghan man, Abdul Razaq Arief, accused of abusing political prisoners in the 1980s, is currently on trial at The Hague district court. The Dutch court is trying Arief for war crimes, citing his role as commander and head of Political Affairs at the notorious Pul-e-Charkhi prison from 1983 - 1990 in Kabul. Reportedly, opponents of Afghanistan's Soviet-backed regime were "held without fair trial in appalling conditions," in which prisoners had "no shower, no soap, no heating, [and] no warm water." One witness detailed that prisoners were...

'They slap a price on you' - Ethiopian officials accused of extorting arbitrarily detained Tigrayans 

In a damning report by Al Jazeera , reporters uncovered a series of incidents where Ethiopian security officers have been extorting and abusing Tigrayan civilians detained without charge. Since an influx of arbitrary arrests last year, Ethiopian security forces, including "prison wardens, government prosecutors and officials from the attorney general's offices have demanded exorbitant bribes for release."

Sports and politics in action – Formula 1 and UEFA cancel Russian events

In the aftermath of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, both the UEFA Champions League and Formula 1 have cancelled scheduled sporting events in Russia. European football's governing body held an emergency meeting earlier this morning and announced that the 2022 Champions League final will be played in Paris, instead of St Petersburg on 28 May. "Together with the French government, Uefa will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement," said UEFA in...

Bangladesh journalists 'under attack' - UN rights experts warn

In a statement released earlier this month, five UN Special Rapporteurs highlighted the "appalling and pervasive culture of impunity in Bangladesh," over the failure of Bangladeshi authorities to ensure justice for two journalists killed ten years ago. Journalists , Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, were killed in 2021, yet no one has been charged with their death. Sagar and Runi were stabbed to death in their own home, in front of their 5-year-old son. "When crimes against journalists go unpunished, they embolden the perpetrators and encourage more attacks, threats and killings with the...

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