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…

US determines warring factions in Sudan conflict have committed war crimes

The Biden administration said Wednesday it has determined that both sides in the ongoing conflict in Sudan have committed atrocities in the African nation’s western region of Darfur and elsewhere, saying the fighting “has caused grievous human suffering.”

US files war crimes charges against Russian soldiers

The Justice Department has filed war crime charges against four members of the Russian military accused of abducting and torturing an American during the invasion of Ukraine.

US sanction two Russian military officials for human rights violations

The  United States have sanctioned two russian military officials for their "involvement in gross violations of human rights" in Ukraine.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken imposed visa restrictions on Russian Armed Forces Col. Azatbek Omurbekov, also known as “The Butcher of Bucha,” and Guard Corporal Daniil Frolkin. They were sanctioned for involvement in the extrajudicial killings of civilians from Andriivka, Ukraine

20,000 have fled Ukraine since war began to avoid being drafted

Nearly 20,000 men have fled Ukraine since the outbreak of war to avoid being drafted. 

The BBC reports that  Another 21,113 men attempted to flee but were caught by the Ukrainian authorities.

After Russia's invasion, most men aged 18-60 were banned from leaving. But data obtained by the BBC reveals dozens have made it out daily.

The BBC has established - by requesting data of illegal border crossings from neighbouring Romania, Moldova, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia - that 19,740 men illegally crossed into these countries between February 2022 and 31 August 2023.

Lawyers representing Gaza victims file case at International Criminal Court

A group of lawyers representing Palestinian victims of Israeli attacks on Gaza have filed a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that Israel’s actions amount to the crime of genocide.

Gilles Devers, a veteran French lawyer and the victims’ representative before the ICC, submitted the complaint to the prosecutor as part of a four-person delegation in the Dutch city of The Hague last Monday.

UN experts call on international community to prevent genocide against Palestinian people

Grave violations committed by Israel against Palestinians in the aftermath of 7 October, particularly in Gaza, point to a genocide in the making, UN experts said last week.

They illustrated evidence of increasing genocidal incitement, overt intent to “destroy the Palestinian people under occupation”, loud calls for a ‘second Nakba’ in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, and the use of powerful weaponry with inherently indiscriminate impacts, resulting in a colossal death toll and destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure.

South Africa refers Israel to ICC and calls for arrest warrant to be issued to Netanyahu

 South Africa has filed a referral to the International Criminal Court for an investigation into war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.

“As South Africa we have accordingly, together with many other countries across the world, referred this whole Israeli government action to the International Criminal Court,”  South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday during a state visit to Qatar.

French Court issues arrest warrant for Bashar al-Assad in Syria war crimes case

A French court has issued an international arrest warrant for the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad for complicity in war crimes against humanity linked to a chemical weapons attack.

Three others – including Assad’s brother Maher, head of an elite army unit – are also subject to warrants over the use of banned sarin gas in two attacks in August 2013 that killed more than 1,000 people, including hundreds of children.

EU condemns violence in Darfur and warns of 'another genocide'

The European Union has condemned an escalation of violence in the Darfur region, situated in Sudan, warning of "another genocide". 

The EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell cited in a statement witness reports that more than 1,000 members of the Masalit community were killed in Ardamta, West Darfur, in just over two days earlier this week during attacks by the RSF and affiliated militias.

Pakistan opens three new border crossings as expulsion order impacts 1.7 million people

Pakistan on Monday opened three new border crossings to accelerate the repatriation of undocumented Afghan nationals who have been ordered to leave the country or face expulsion, officials said.

The new crossings were set up at the Afghan border in southwestern Balochistan province in addition to the main crossing in Chaman district, said Jan Achakzai, information minister for the provincial caretaker government.

The main crossing had been overwhelmed with Afghan refugees seeking to return home voluntarily, he said.