WORLD NEWS

World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

In recent weeks Yemen’s Houthi armed group has shot down seven US Reaper drones worth over $200m. The drones destroyed between 31 March and 22 April mark Washington's most significant material loss.  Three of the drones were destroyed in the past week, suggesting an improvement in the Houthis’ ability to strike high-altitude US aircraft.  The drones were conducting surveillance or…

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.

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 Jakilaitiene, a spokeswoman for Lithuania’s prime minister said the shipment of 444,600 doses which was agreed upon just last week, was now cancelled.

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".

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, 

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. 

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 an announcement.

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.

JournalistsSagar 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. 

Russia invades Ukraine, Putin cites ‘genocide’ in Donbas

Several explosions have been reported across Ukraine, as Russian troops launched offensives across the region in the early hours of this morning.

More than 40 Ukranian troops are reported to have been killed so far.