<p>The US based rental accommodation firm Airbnb announced its decision to remove Israeli settlements in the West Bank from their website, stating the settlements break international law and impede a peace solution.&nbsp;</p> <p>This move has been hailed by Palestinian groups as a positive first step whilst also being decried by Israeli organisations as an act of capitulation.</p> <p>The UN Security Council deemed settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem violate international law in its resolution 2334.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The United Nations General Assembly Third Committee has unanimously passed a resolution supporting self-determination as a fundamental human right.</p> <p>The resolution, tabled by Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN Dr Maleeha Lodhi, was passed by the UNGA’s Third Committee which deals with social humanitarian and cultural issues.</p> <p>Tweeting after the vote whish aw a record number of 83 countries cosponsoring it, Dr Lodhi said,</p>

<p>The new government of the Maldives will rejoin the Commonwealth, two years after the country’s former president pulled out in protest of the group raising concerns over the country’s democracy and human rights.</p> <p>In a statement on Monday, President Ibramih Mohamed Solih’s office said the decision to participate in the Commonwealth of Nations again had been taking into account the education and cultural advantages.</p>

<p>A group of bipartisan US Congressional representatives introduced a bill into the Senate and House of Representatives demanding a sterner response from the Trump administration over China’s human rights record.&nbsp;</p> <p>The bill proposes targeted sanctions on the Chinese government, the ruling party and officials such as Xinjiang party secretary Chen Quanguo who are “credibly alleged to be responsible for human rights abuses in Xinjiang and elsewhere”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A sitting Member of Parliament, accused by the UN of carrying out war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Central African Republic’s Muslim community, has been detained and extradited to the Hague, reports <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-18/alfred-yekatom-handed-to-interna…">ABC news.</a></p> <p>Alfred Yekatom, also a&nbsp;former militia leader, was wanted for the murder, deportation and torture, enforced disappearance and mutilation.</p>

<p>Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are facing increasing pressure from the West to agree to a ceasefire in Yemen to prevent the country from plunging into mass famine. This has led to the halt of the Saudi led coalition’s offensive against the Houthis in the port city of Hodeidah.</p> <p>The offensive on this strategic port was relaunched last month in an effort to cut off Houthi ruled areas from their main supply route.</p> <p>Western allies including the US and the UK are pressing for a ceasefire in Yemen and are encouraging 'both sides' to participate in political talks.</p>

<p>The World Bank rescinded a $300 million loan to Tanzania on Thursday in response to a number of controversial laws passed by the legislature over recent months.</p> <p>Last month Tanzanian legislators passed amendments to Statistics Acts that criminalised public dissemination of statistical information contradicting official government figures. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;The European Union announced that it was reviewing its policies toward Tanzania, <a href="http://time.com/5456826/tanzania-anti-gay-world-bank/">stating</a></p>

<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> <p>The two men sentenced, Noun Chea, deputy of regime leader Pol Pot and head of state Khieu Samphan, 87, were already sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity.</p>

<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> <p>“The Saudi officials we are sanctioning were involved in the abhorrent killing of Jamal Kashoggi. These individuals who targeted and brutally killed a journalist who resided and worked in the United States must face consequences for their actions.”</p> <p>The statement further added:</p>

<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> <p>Despite over 4 decades since the death of Franco, there was no coordinated effort to identify victims.&nbsp;</p>