Myanmar ‘starving out’ Rohingya: UK-based rights group
A UK-based rights group has accused Myanmar’s government of intentionally starving Rohingya Muslims in a bid to force the persecuted minority group out of the country. “Rohingya are now being starved out of Burma (Myanmar) and unless real pressure is put on the government and military to lift aid and movement restrictions, most… will be […]
US to withdraw from UNESCO over ‘anti-Israel bias’
The United States has announced that it will withdraw from the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), accusing the UN’s cultural organization of “anti-Israel bias.” US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement on Thursday that Washington would establish an “observer mission” to replace its representation at the Paris-based agency. “This decision […]
Iraqi premier denies army, allies plan attack on Kurdish Peshmerga forces
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has denied an attack plan against the positions of Kurdish Peshmerga forces amid ongoing tensions between the central government in Baghdad and authorities of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. “We are not going to use our army to fight our people or to make war on our Kurdish citizens or others,” […]
Russia slams US for denying entry to military officials
Russia has blasted the United States for denying entry to a Russian military delegation scheduled to attend a joint briefing with Chinese officials at the United Nations about America’s deployment of missile systems across the world. Alexander Emelianov, from the Russian Defense Ministry’s international cooperation committee, said Thursday that Moscow wanted to send a delegation to […]
Spain Takes Step Toward Direct Rule Over Catalonia’s Independence Move
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy took the first step on Wednesday toward suspending Catalonia’s political autonomy and ruling the region directly to thwart a push for independence.He demanded that the regional government clarify whether it now considered itself independent following a speech by Catalan president Carles Puigdemont on Tuesday night, Reuters reported.This requirement is a […]
US Bombers Overfly Korean Peninsula in Show of Force
The US has flown two supersonic heavy bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force against Pyongyang, staging the first night-time joint aviation exercises with Japan and South Korea.Two B-1B Lancers based in Guam flew a mission in the vicinity of the Sea of Japan late Tuesday, the US Pacific Air Forces said […]
Myanmar Systematically Expelling Rohingya So They Won’t Return
Myanmar’s army has carried out “well-organized, coordinated and systematic” attacks on Rohingya aimed at expelling them and ensuring they never return, the United Nations said Wednesday.In its first major report on violence in Rakhine state, the UN Human Rights Office said security forces had murdered, raped, tortured, pillaged and burned down Rohingya villages and crops, […]
UK Says Monitoring Saudi Weapons Use Very Closely
The United Kingdom is keeping a close eye on the final use of weapons it sells to Saudi Arabia, according to a top diplomat.Matthew Rycroft, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, told reporters on Tuesday that the country has measures in place to ensure weapons are used correctly, Al Jazeera reported.“The UK has […]
Hundreds of IS Militants Surrender Near Kirkuk
A Kurdish security official confirmed Tuesday that hundreds of suspected self-styled Islamic State militants surrendered to Kurdish authorities after Iraqi government forces reclaimed the IS base in Hawija, a major Iraqi city north of Baghdad.“Approximately 1,000 men surrendered over the last week. Not all, however, are terrorists,” the security official said, explaining that many militants […]
Afghan Peace Talks Planned in Oman
Representatives of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States will meet in Oman next week to discuss reviving peace talks with Afghan Taliban militants, an Afghan official and a Pakistani Foreign Ministry source said on Wednesday.But it was not clear if Afghan Taliban representatives would join the talks. Taliban sources said they had not yet […]