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☆ UN demands investigation after mass graves found at Gaza hospitals raided by Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Irene Nasser | Duarte Mendonca | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The United Nations has called for an “independent, effective and transparent investigation” into the discovery of mass graves at two Gaza hospitals that were besieged and raided by Israeli troops this year. A mass grave with 324 bodies was uncovered this week at the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis by Gaza Civil Defense workers following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area. When they returned this month after the Israeli military withdrew, they discovered the bodies had been dug up and placed in at least one collective grave, the stringer said. CNN reached out to the Israeli military on Wednesday for comment regarding Türk’s remarks, to which it said it had nothing more to add beyond previous comments. The US State Department on Tuesday expressed concern over the discovery of mass graves.

Persons: Volker Türk, ”, Nasser, Al, ” Türk, Khan Younis, Yamen Abu Suleiman, Khan, Raed Saqr, It’s, Mahmoud Basal, Vedant Patel, ” “ I’m Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Human, “, Nasser, Gaza Civil, Civil Defense, Nasser Hospital, Getty, Hamas, US State Department, ”, Government Locations: Gaza, Khan, AFP, Nasser, Israel, Al

CNN —As Sudan marks the grim anniversary of a year-long conflict, aid agencies have warned that the country teeters on the edge of collapse, facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has been largely ignored by the rest of the world. The situation in Sudan is dire, with over 8.4 million people, including 2 million children under the age of 5, forced to flee their homes in the wake of the conflict, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Despite these alarming figures, the international response has been woefully inadequate, with only 5% of the 2024 humanitarian response plan for Sudan funded thus far, Islamic Relief said in a statement. A lack of responseDoctors Without Borders on Friday called on leaders attending the Paris conference “to immediately scale up the humanitarian response” in Sudan. “The warring parties in Sudan have inflicted tremendous suffering on Sudanese from all walks of life,” he said.

Persons: Elsadig Elnour, Volker Türk, Sudan “, “, Türk, Stéphane Séjourné, Annalena Baerbock, ”, Mohamed Badawi, ” Mohamed Osman, ” Osman, Sudan Tom Perriello, Perriello, Ramadan Organizations: CNN, Islamic, Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF, Rapid Support Forces, UN, Human, French, Sudan’s, African Center for Justice, Peace Studies, Paris, Human Rights Watch, “, US, State Department Locations: Sudan, France, Paris, ”, Jazira, Saudi Arabia

☆ Sexual violence ‘largely unpunished’ in Haiti, UN says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Mitchell Mccluskey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The UN human rights office described sexual violence in Haiti as “severely underreported and largely unpunished” in a harrowing report released Thursday that documented cases of rape and forced sexual relations with gang members, as well surging levels of gang violence in the country. The violence has caused the internal displacement of approximately 313,900 people as of December 2023, according to the OHCHR. “All these practices are outrageous and must stop at once,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. “Widespread corruption and dysfunction of the justice system greatly contribute to the pervasive impunity for grave human rights violations, and they need to be addressed urgently,” said Türk. Police patrol a street after authorities extended the state of emergency amid gang violence that has forced thousands to flee their homes in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 8, 2024.

Persons: ”, Volker Türk, Ariel Henry, Henry’s, ” Türk, Ralph Tedy Ero Organizations: CNN, UN, United Nations, Human Rights, “, Human, Haitian National Police, Police Locations: Haiti, –, Port, “, Prince

☆ Gangs netting up to $3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Human trafficking-fueled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to $3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels. One international organized crime group makes $50 billion a year, according to Interpol secretary-general Jurgen Stock, adding that $2 trillion to $3 trillion of illicit money flows through the global financial system annually. While drug trafficking contributes around 40% to 70% of organized crime income, criminal groups are also using those smuggling networks to illegally move humans, arms and stolen products among other things, Stock said. Criminal enterprises also exist in Laos, Thailand and the Philippines, with many of the lucrative online scam operations ranging from illegal gambling, to love scams and crypto fraud. Beijing has pressed Myanmar’s military government to rein in the scam operations, but with limited success.

Persons: Jurgen Stock, Stock, ” Stock, Human Rights Volker Turk Organizations: CNN, Interpol, International Monetary Fund, Covid, ”, “, United Nations, UN, Human Rights, Philippine News Agency Locations: Southeast Asia, Singapore, Asia, United States, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Philippines, China –, Beijing, China, Manila, what’s, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong

☆ Israeli settlements expand by record amount, UN rights chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Palestinian neighborhood is seen from the window of a building inside an Israeli settlement in the city of Hebron on January 18, 2017 in Hebron, West Bank. Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories have expanded by a record amount and risk eliminating any practical possibly of a Palestinian state, the U.N. human rights chief said on Friday. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that the growth of Israeli settlements amounted to the transfer by Israel of its own population, which he reiterated was a war crime. The U.S. Biden administration said last month the settlements were "inconsistent" with international law after Israel announced new housing plans in the occupied West Bank. "Human rights are universal, yet Israeli victims of Palestinian terrorism are ignored by the Office (of the High Commissioner) time and time again," it said in a statement.

Persons: Human Rights Volker Turk, Biden, Turk Organizations: West Bank, United Nations, Human Rights, U.S, Israel Locations: Hebron, West, Palestinian, Israel, Palestinian State, Geneva

CNN —A road being built by the Israeli military splitting Gaza in two has reached the Mediterranean coast, a CNN analysis of satellite imagery shows. The plan has not been adopted by the IDF, but it includes elements that are coming into existence, including the Netzarim Corridor. Satellite imagery from November shows the tracks emerging, at a time when the military’s focus turned to surrounding Gaza City, advancing from the east. I remember it vividly.”Abu Holi was seldom open, Munther Al-Ashi, a lawyer from Gaza City, told CNN. “If our house in Gaza City has not been shelled, I would like to go back to it.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Al Rashid, Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli, Chikli, Israel, Shimon Orkabi, Volker Türk, ’ Emily Harding, Harding, Jamal Al, ”, ” Al, Rozzi, Khan Younis, “, Munther Al, Ashi, Al Rozzi Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Al, Diaspora Affairs, IDF, Maxar Technologies, Planet Labs, Hamas, Israeli Engineering Corps, Combat Engineering Corps, Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Palestinian Friendship, UN, Human, Intelligence, National Security, Technology, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Israel, Rights Watch Locations: Gaza, Israel, Netzarim, Israeli, Gaza City, Be’eri, Chikli, Wadi Gaza, Turkish, Washington ,, ”, Rafah, “

☆ US asks Haiti’s Prime Minister to ‘move forward’ on political transition amid turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Caitlin Stephen Hu | Richard Roth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The US has called for “urgent” movement toward a political transition in Haiti, as gangs run amok in the nation’s capital and opposition groups demand Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s resignation. Henry landed in Puerto Rico on Tuesday after days of speculation about his whereabouts. US officials had called Henry mid-flight in an effort to persuade him to step aside in favor of a transitional administration, the report said. Ahead of the meeting, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged the international community to “act swiftly and decisively to prevent Haiti’s further descent into chaos.”“This situation is beyond untenable for the people of Haiti,” he said. “We are simply running out of time.”This is a developing story and will be updated.

Persons: Ariel Henry’s, Henry, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, we’ve, Prince, Henry’s, Jimmy Cherizier, “, ”, Ariel Henry doesn’t, Ariel Henry, ” Cherizier, Volker Türk, Haiti’s Organizations: CNN, Kenyan, Miami Herald, Herald, United Nations, Reuters, Core, UN Security, Human Locations: Haiti, Puerto Rico, Kenya, Caribbean, Washington, Dominican Republic, Dominican, Haitian, Port, United States, Canada, France

☆ Egypt is building a new walled buffer zone more than 2 miles wide on Gaza border, satellite images show
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Paul P. Murphy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

If the buffer zone — which stretches from the end of the Gaza border to the Mediterranean Sea — is completed, it will completely engulf the Egyptian-Rafah border crossing complex. Additional satellite imagery reviewed by CNN shows that bulldozers arrived on site on February 3, and the initial excavation of the buffer zone began on February 6. CNN has reached out to the Egyptian government for comment on the buffer zone and wall construction. This satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows Egypt building a massive miles-wide buffer zone, and border wall, along its border with Gaza. Israel has been accused of constructing its own buffer zone, but within Gaza, which would effectively shrink the enclave’s borders.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ’, Peter Lerner, Rajaa Musleh, “, ” Musleh, Fabrizio Carboni, Israel’s, Gazans, Israel, Netanyahu, Volker Türk, ”, ” Türk Organizations: CNN, Maxar Technologies, Sinai Foundation, Human Rights, Gaza Maxar Technologies, Israel Defense Forces, International Committee, Red Cross, New Zealand, UN, Human, IDF Locations: Egypt, Gaza, Rafah, Egypt’s, Gazan, Israel, Australia, Canada, New, North Sinai

☆ Senegal: UN raises alarm over escalating tensions after election delay
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Nimi Princewill | Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The United Nations is “deeply concerned” about the tense situation in Senegal, following the suspension of the country’s presidential election that was slated for February 25, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Liz Throssell said Tuesday. On Tuesday, the French Foreign Ministry said that Senegal must hold a new presidential election “as soon as possible” and refrain from disproportionate force when dealing with protests. “France offers its condolences to the relatives of those who died during the demonstrations in Senegal in recent days. The US also previously said it was “deeply concerned” by the moves to delay the election and urged the government to move forward with the ballot. A West African delegation from regional bloc ECOWAS arrived in Senegal on Monday to mediate on the escalating political crisis, ahead of fresh protests planned for this week, Senegalese state media RTS reported.

Persons: Liz Throssell, Macky Sall, Throssell, ”, Volker Türk, “, Abdou Diouf, Abdoulaye Wade, Sall Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Human, Mobile, French Foreign Ministry, “, US, ECOWAS Locations: Senegal, Dakar, Senegal’s, Geneva

☆ Palestinian women describe terror of 12-mile escape on foot from Gaza City
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Abeer Salman | Mohammad Al Sawalhi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The upscale Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City has been devastated by Israel’s intense bombing campaign, launched in response to Hamas’ deadly attacks in Israel on October 7. “We heard their screams because they were beating them up.”Al-Ashkar said that Israeli forces had placed explosives in the buildings where people had been sheltering. They didn’t let us take anything,” al-Ashkar said, referring to their journey from the building in Gaza City. Al-Ashkar said that the walk had been longer than eight hours and said that Israeli forces were firing towards them as they walked. “All the streets are destroyed.”Al-Arbeel provided a very similar account of their interaction with Israeli forces.

Persons: Abu Eskandar, Abdallah Wael, Wael, Israa Hassan Ahmed al, Ashkar, Mohammad Al Sawalhi, Volker Türk, Rimal, Khader Al Za’anoun, ”, ” Hoda Harb, “, Walla Abdul Rahim Shabaan, Arbeel, Mina, Balah, doesn’t, ‘, ’, who’s, “ didn’t, ” Harb, ’ ” Harb, Tala, ” Tala Harb, CNN Tala, Fadeel El Helw, Harb’s, couldn’t Organizations: CNN, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, CNN UN, Human, WAFA, of Health, Israeli, ” CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Palestine Red Crescent Society, Deir Al, CNN CNN Locations: Gaza, Al, Aqsa, Deir Al, Gaza City, Rimal, Israel, Rafah, Palestine, Deir

☆ Russia’s top court bans ‘international LGBTQ movement’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Anna Chernova | Lindsay Isaac | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Russia’s Supreme Court has declared what it called the “international LGBTQ movement” an extremist organization and banned all activities associated with it in the country. Russia’s highest court found in favour of a motion filed by the Ministry of Justice which claimed the LGBTQ community risked “inciting social and religious discord”, in violation of Russia’s Law on Countering Extremism, according to a statement from the UN condemning the decision. The four-hour hearing was held behind closed doors with only the Justice Ministry present for the proceedings and materials classified. LGBT activists take part in a protest against amendments to Russia's Constitution on July 15, 2020. The new law was an extension of legislation introduced in 2013, which banned the dissemination of LGBTQ-related information to minors.

Persons: CNN —, Vladimir Putin, Thursday’s, Shamil Zhumatov, Volker Türk, Putin Organizations: CNN, CNN — Russia’s, Ministry of Justice, LGBT, RIA Novosti, Justice, Constitution, UN Human Rights, UN, Human, Kremlin Locations: West, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Haiti Gang Wars Now 'Cataclysmic' in Key Farmlands -UN Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Haiti's brutal gang wars have spread from the capital to key farming heartlands, displacing tens of thousands of people and having a devastating impact on access to food staples, the United Nations said in a report on Tuesday. The violence has severely limited humanitarian access to the area, leaving support for victims of sexual violence to cash-strapped rural associations. Victims rarely come forward, the report said, due to fear of reprisals and mistrust of police. "We are continuing to receive reports of killings, sexual violence, displacement and other violence – including in hospitals," he said. "The much-needed multinational security support mission needs to be deployed to Haiti as soon as possible."

Persons: U.N, Human Rights Volker Turk, Turk, Sarah Morland, Harold Isaac, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, United Nations, Human Rights Locations: Artibonite, Bas, United States, Haiti

☆ UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for independent investigation into Al-Shifa hospitals claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Andrew Carey | David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN cannot independently verify the claim by Israel that the image is of a Hamas tunnel. The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on Israel to grant independent investigators access to Gaza to probe the competing claims. “This is precisely where you need an independent international investigation, because we have different narratives,” said Türk on Thursday. The IDF on Thursday released an image of what it said were weapons recovered from inside Al-Shifa hospital. On Wednesday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated previous statements from the White House saying the US had intelligence that Hamas was operating in Al-Shifa Hospital.

Persons: Daniel Hagari, Volker Türk, ”, Türk, “, –, Israel of, Israel, Yehudit Weiss, Noa Marciano, Mohammad Abu Salmiya, Al Jazeera, Abu Salmiya, Hagari, Rantisi, Mohammed Zarqout, John Kirby, ” Kirby Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Human, IDF, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Palestinian Ministry of Health, Rantisi, Al, US National Security, Shifa Locations: Israel, Gaza City, Gaza, IDF, Ramallah, Israel of Gaza, United States, Al

☆ Israel-Hamas war live updates: Gaza health ministry says hospitals hit in overnight strikes; Israel agrees daily pauses in fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache Katrina Bishop | Ruxandra Iordache | Katrina Bishop | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk again called for a cease-fire in the Israeli-Hamas war and for the release of hostages held by the Palestinian militant group, while urging Israel to protect civilians in the West Bank. Türk condemned the "atrocious attacks" of Hamas on Oct. 7, which should "outrage each and every one of us," as well as the "indiscriminate effects" of Israeli attacks in densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip. He said the U.N. human rights agency continues to monitor strikes against hospitals in the Gaza enclave, adding, "Considering the predictable high level of civilian casualty and the wide scale of destruction of civilian objects we have very serious concerns that these amount to disproportionate attacks in breach of international humanitarian law." Israel has repeatedly said it does not target civilians and sets out to demilitarize Hamas positions. — Ruxandra Iordache

Persons: Volker Türk, Türk, — Organizations: Human, Hamas, West Bank, West Bank – Locations: Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, Jordan

Both Israel and Hamas have rebuffed mounting calls for a halt in fighting. Hamas says it will not free them nor stop fighting while Gaza is under assault. "We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. [1/8]Flares are dropped by Israeli forces, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City November 6, 2023. Diplomats said a key obstacle is whether to call for a ceasefire, cessation of hostilities or humanitarian pauses to allow aid access in Gaza.

Persons: Netanyahu, Israel, Biden, White, Benjamin Netanyahu, we've, Joe Biden, It's, Human Rights Volker Turk, Adhanom, Martin Griffiths, Mohammed Al, Masri, Daniel Hagari, Hagari, U.N, General Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Robert Wood, we're, Joe Biden's, Nidal al, Emily Rose, Patricia Zengerle, Michelle Nichols, Daphne Psaledakis, Rami Ayyub, Cynthia Osterman, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: ABC News, ., Human Rights, Health Organization, Hamas, REUTERS, Israel Defense Forces, . Security, Diplomats, United Nations, U.S, U.S . Congress, Thomson Locations: White House, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, United States, Washington, Nations, Palestinian, Gaza City, Lebanon, Iran, Lebanese, Haifa

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, killing hundreds of people in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history. Israel's embassy in Washington said the death toll from the weekend Hamas attacks had surpassed 1,000. U.S. officials say they do not have evidence Iran orchestrated the attacks, but point to Iran's longterm support for Hamas. Biden called the Hamas attacks "an act of sheer evil" and said Washington was rushing additional military assistance to Israel, including ammunition and interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome aerial defense system. Israeli soldiers went from house to house to take away the dead.

Persons: Ronen, Israel, Biden, Joe Biden, Israel's, Yoav Gallant, ", Washington, Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Gaza's Khan Younis, Ala Abu Tair, Abassan Al, Jawad Abu Shammala, Zakaria Abu Maamar, Khan Younis, Abu Shammala, Human Rights Volker Turk, Elad Hakim, Aza, Itai Veruv, Dan Williams, Emily Rose, Henriette Chacar, Ari Rabinovitch, Nidal, Maayan, Steve Holland, Nandita Bose, Rami Ayyub, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, Rockets, Hamas, U.S, Israel, Israeli, White, United, Department, Defence, The United Nations, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Human Rights, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Ashkelon, Lebanon, Syria, U.S, JERUSALEM, GAZA, WASHINGTON, Palestinian, Israel's, Washington, United States, Iran, Gaza's, U.N, East Jerusalem, Be'eri, stretchers, Europe, Jerusalem, Kfar Aza

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history. Israel's embassy in Washington said on Tuesday the death toll from the weekend Hamas attacks had surpassed 1,000. Biden called the Hamas attacks "an act of sheer evil" and said Washington was rushing additional military assistance to Israel, including ammunition and interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome aerial defense system. They were the first senior Hamas members killed since Israel began pounding the enclave. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, who denounced the Hamas attacks, said: "International humanitarian law is clear: the obligation to take constant care to spare the civilian population and civilian objects remains applicable throughout the attacks."

Persons: Kan, Joe Biden, —, Yoav Gallant, Israel, Biden, ", Washington, Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ammar Awad, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Khan Younis, Sabra, Gaza's Khan Younis, Ala Abu Tair, Abassan Al, Jawad Abu Shammala, Zakaria Abu Maamar, Abu Shammala, Human Rights Volker Turk, Dan Williams, Emily Rose, Henriette Chacar, Ari Rabinovitch, Nidal, Maayan, Steve Holland, Nandita Bose, Rami Ayyub, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Howard Goller Organizations: Hamas, U.S, Israel, Public, Israeli, White, United, Department, REUTERS, Defence, United Nations, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Human Rights, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Sabra, JERUSALEM, GAZA, WASHINGTON, Palestinian, Israel's, Washington, Lebanon, United States, Iran, U.S, Ashkelon, Israeli, Daraj Tuffah, Gaza City, Khan, Gaza's, U.N, East Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Kfar Aza, Lincoln

CNN —Dozens of people were killed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo this week during demonstrations against the United Nations’ mission in the country. At least 43 people were killed and a further 53 were injured during the clashes with local authorities. Over 150 people were arrested, including the leader of the group which organized the protests, the government said. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday called for DRC authorities to ensure that “future law enforcement actions in the context of the policing of public assemblies fully adhere to international human rights norms and standards.”Anti-UN protests in the DRC broke out in July and have since escalated. The UN has a longstanding and significant footprint in the country, which has been the object of local demonstrations for years.

Persons: “, ”, MONUSCO, ’, ” Ravina Shamdasani, ” Shamdasani, Volker Türk Organizations: CNN, Democratic, United Nations, Protesters, Wednesday, East African Community, UN, Human Rights, Human Locations: Democratic Republic of Congo, Goma, ”, Congolese, ’ Goma, DRC

☆ West African regional group weighs next steps on Niger
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Niger's junta supporters take part in a demonstration in front of a French army base in Niamey, Niger, August 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mahamadou HamidouDAKAR, Aug 12 (Reuters) - West African leaders were weighing their next moves on Saturday as they seek to overturn a military coup in Niger that has rocked the region but also triggered a groundswell of support in the country. The rally began at a French military base in the capital Niamey, then protesters with signs and flags spread onto surrounding streets. "Down with France.... Down with ECOWAS," referring to the Economic Community of West African States. It was not yet clear how long the ECOWAS force would take to assemble, how big it would be and if it would actually invade.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Russia's, Human Rights Volker Turk, Edward McAllister, Ingrid Melander, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, ECOWAS, al, Islamic, Economic, West, Regional, African Union, European Union, United Nations, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, DAKAR, West Africa, West, Central Africa, U.S, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Russia, France, Down, West African States, United States

CNN —The Nigerien military has backed coup leaders who have reportedly seized the president of the West African country, prompting warnings from international leaders over further unrest in a region plagued by political volatility. President Bazoum was apparently taken by members of the presidential guard on Wednesday, although his precise whereabouts remain unknown. Niger’s presidential office said in a statement on Twitter on Thursday: “The hard-won achievements will be safeguarded. Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, pictured on December 13, 2022, was reportedly seized by members of the presidential guard on Wednesday. 1,000 US troopsWorld leaders and humanitarian bodies issued stark warnings against the coup leaders.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, insurgencies, Bazoum, Evelyn Hockstein, Maj, Amadou Abdramane, Abdramane, Jake Sullivan, Washington, Volker Türk, ” Türk, General Antonio Guterres, Bazoum “, African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, “ Organizations: CNN, Nigerien, Twitter, country’s Ministry of Defense, Interior Ministry, National Guard, White, US, Air Base, United Nations, Human, UN, African Union Commission Locations: West, ” Niger, Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, United States, France, Niger, Niamey, Washington, Agadez, The

☆ UN says Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk not killed by rocket, as Russia claimed
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The prisoners being held in a Russian-controlled detention facility in Olenivka, in the eastern Donetsk region, were killed by an apparent explosion July 28-29 2022. Unverified Russia media video footage showed the burned out remains of the prison and charred bodies. Russia's defence ministry said at the time that a missile strike by a U.S.-made HIMARS rocket was responsible. Kyiv, which frequently raises the incident, has maintained that Russia conducted the explosion at the Olenivka prison in order to hide mistreatment of the Ukrainian captives held inside. The U.N. rights office has previously said both Russia and Ukraine have abused prisoners of war during the conflict, although the former has done so on a bigger scale.

Persons: Human Rights Volker Turk, Emma Farge, Max Hunder, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Human Rights, UN, Thomson Locations: GENEVA, Donetsk, Russian, Olenivka, Russia, U.S, Kyiv, Moscow, Ukraine

CNN —The head of a United Nations agency has called for an investigation into the killing of at least 87 people who were discovered in a mass grave in Sudan’s West Darfur region. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has demanded a “prompt, thorough and independent investigation” into the grim discovery outside the region’s capital El-Geneina. Inside the mass grave were bodies of ethnic Masalit who along with other non-Arab communities are often targeted by Arab militias, supported by the RSF, according to Human Rights Watch. The deceased were allegedly killed last month by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied militia. West Darfur remains one of the most conflict-ridden areas in the Sudanese Darfur region, with a long history of severe violence.

Persons: Volker Türk, RSF, Geneina’s, Khamis Abbaker, Türk, ” Türk Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Human, Human Rights Watch, Rapid Support Forces Locations: Sudan’s West Darfur, El, West Darfur, Darfur, Sudanese Darfur

☆ Myanmar crisis, South China Sea tensions loom over ASEAN meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Kate Lamb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JAKARTA, July 11 (Reuters) - Southeast Asia's top diplomats will gather in Indonesia on Tuesday amid pressure to address a bloody political crisis in Myanmar and resolve tensions in the South China Sea where some ASEAN members have overlapping territorial claims with China. The meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comes as doubts mount over the credibility and unity of the bloc in dealing with the region's thorniest challenges. Indonesia is also seeking during this week's forum to accelerate talks on a long-stalled code of conduct on the South China Sea. More than $3 trillion in trade passes through the South China Sea each year, and overlapping territorial claims by China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have led to a spate of confrontations. ASEAN will also hold the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum later this week, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov both slated to attend.

Persons: Human Rights Volker Turk, Retno Marsudi, Antony Blinken, Sergei Lavrov, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, United, United Nations, Human Rights, . Security, International Criminal Court, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, U.S, Russia's, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Myanmar, South China, China, ASEAN, United Nations, Jakarta, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei

Chief prosecutor Karim Khan visited Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, for four days this week to hear testimony from survivors of alleged genocide by Myanmar’s military against its Rohingya population. “There is heartbreak in these camps,” Khan said in an exclusive interview with CNN. Meanwhile, the Rohingya have been waiting six years and no such action has been taken against the Myanmar military leaders who ordered the attacks. “The big difference is that we have access to Ukraine, we don’t have access to Myanmar,” Khan said. Chief prosecutor Khan believed that Myanmar’s military leaders, including junta leader Min Aung Hlaing could be held to account.

Persons: Court’s, Karim Khan, ” Khan, ”, Vladimir Putin, Kutupalong, Ziabul Hossain, ICC’s Khan, Volker Türk, Khan, “, can’t, taka, Mohamed Rofique, Mohammad, Rofique, Min Aung, Slobodan Milošević, Charles Taylor, Jean Kambanda Organizations: CNN, ICC, Myanmar, Criminal, Getty, UN, Human, International Court of Justice, ICJ, Liberian, Rwandan Locations: Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Rakhine, Russia, Myanmar, Kutupalong Rohingya, Cox's Bazar, Tanbir Miraj, AFP, Gambia, Maungdaw, Rohingya, Bazar

☆ Uganda accuses West of blackmail in its response to anti-LGBTQ law
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KAMPALA, May 30 (Reuters) - Uganda on Tuesday condemned the Western response to the East African country's new anti-LGBTQ law, considered one of the harshest in the world, and said sanctions threats from donors amounted to "blackmail". The law signed by President Yoweri Museveni carries the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality", an offence that includes transmitting HIV through gay sex. In the Ugandan government's first detailed comments since Museveni signed the law, Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi rejected the condemnation. REUTERS/Abubaker Lubowa/File Photo"While we appreciate the support we get from partners, they must be reminded that we are a sovereign country and we do not legislate for the Western world. In an interview, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told Reuters he expects the courts to agree.

Persons: Yoweri Museveni, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Josep Borrell, Museveni, Chris Baryomunsi, Abubaker, Human Rights Volker Turk, Turk, France's, Emma Farge, Alison Williams, Aaron Ross, Nick Macfie Organizations: Ugandan, Reuters, REUTERS, UN, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: KAMPALA, Uganda, EU, Kampala, Tanzania

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