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Latest news from and about the homeland

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April, which left at least 26 people dead. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region in decades. The Resistance Front (TRF), a little-known armed group believed to be linked to the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the…

Four killed in Saudi-led air strike on Yemeni radio station

Four people were killed in a Saudi-led air strike on a radio station in the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah in Yemen.

Four employees of the Almaraweah radio station were killed, reports Reuters, three of them guards.

The attack exerts further pressure on the international community as UN officials scramble to arrange a resumption of peace talks for the four-year-old conflict.

China denies mistreating Uighur Muslims

Chinese officials have rejected claims of mistreatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, after growing international outcry and instead claimed they are offering 'education' to counter religious extremism.

The comments came shortly after Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a new report entitled 'Eradicating Ideological Viruses', detailing the abuses suffered in ‘re-education centres’ and the intense surveillance the Uighur population suffer.

New UN human rights chief urges Myanmar international inquiry

The new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet on Monday urged an international mechanism to collect evidence of crimes committed by the Myanmar army against the Rohingya population in order to pursue prosecutions. 

“This mechanism would also complement and support the preliminary examination of the ICC (International Criminal Court) prosecutor," she said."

“I urge the Council to pass a resolution and refer the matter to the General Assembly for its endorsement so that such a mechanism can be established."

France arrests Liberian man for crimes against humanity

French police have arrested a Liberian man accused of committing crimes against humanity, whilst being a commander in the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO) in the 1990’s.

The man, identified as Kunti K, is a naturalised Dutch citizen. He is accused of torture, murder, slavery, the use of child soldiers and cannibalism between 1993 and 1997.

He was arrested in the northeast Paris suburb of Bobigny on Tuesday.

See more from AFP here.

India decriminalises homosexuality

India's Supreme Court today decriminalised homosexuality in a land mark ruling by a constitution bench of five judges. 

The Court unanimously decided to overturn the 158 year old law which criminalised consensual 'unnatural' sex, arguing that the colonial era law violated the right to equality. 

"Any discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation violates fundamental rights," the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said. 

Germany returns skulls of Namibian genocide victims but offers no official apology

The German government handed back the remains of indigenous Namibians that were killed more than 100 years ago, but refused to issue an official apology for the genocide.

Remains that included 19 skulls, a scalp and bones, were handed to a Namibian government official at a church service in Berlin. The service marked the third time that Germany has handed over human remains to Namibia, after they were sent to Germany for now-discredited research to prove the racial superiority of white Europeans.

Reuters journalists sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in Myanmar

Two Reuters journalists who were arrested and detained for over 200 days whilst investigating ongoing massacres of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar have been sentenced to seven years in prison.

In a landmark case that has evoked international condemnation, the Myanmar judge said his verdict is based on documents found on mobile phones of the reporters, that “can be useful to enemies of the country or the ones who oppose the country”.

US ambassador Scot Marciel, who attended the hearing said,

“one has to ask will this process increase or decrease the confidence the people of Myanmar have in their justice system”.

30 Nigerian soldiers killed in suspected Islamic State attack

Upto 30 Nigerian soldiers have been killed in an attack on a military base in Zari, Borno state on Thursday. 

The attack is believed to have been carried out by suspected Islamic State members. 

“The battle lasted for about two hours and our colleagues fought them but things became bad before the fighter jets arrived. We lost about 30 of our soldiers and about 10 were wounded,” a military source, who did not want to be named, told Reuters

Saudi-led coalition promises accountability for 'unjustified' airstrike in Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition on Saturday said an air strike over Yemen last month which killed dozens of people was "unjustified" and pledged to bring hold anyone found to have made mistakes to account. 

“The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition expresses regret over the mistakes, extends its sympathies, condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims,” a statement published by the Saudi state news agency SPA said, Reuters reports. 

The coalition also promised to provide compensation for the victims in conjunction with the Yemeni government 

Nicaragua orders UN human rights delegation to leave

The Nicaraguan government has instructed a United Nations human rights delegation to leave following the publication of a report condemning rights violations and repression by the president, Daniel Ortega's regime. 

“Given that the reasons, causes and conditions that gave rise to this invitation have ceased... this Ministry announces that it concludes the invitation and finalises the visit as of August 30," Nicaragua's foreign minister, Denis Moncada wrote in a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' (UNHCHR) regional representative, Marlene Alejos.