Myanmar's military rulers have hired veteran American political operative Roger Stone to help rebuild relations with Washington, according to filings under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act.The Ministry of Information in Naypyidaw is said to have brought in Stone through the Washington-based lobbying firm DCI Group.The filings say Stone is being paid US$50,000 a month, while DCI Group signed a US$3 million contract with Myanmar in July last year.The stated aim of the arrangement is to normalise ties with Washington after the junta's 2021 coup against Myanmar's elected government.It also seeks to influence US policy on Myanmar's economy, natural resources... [Continue Reading]
A volunteer barber has been offering free haircuts at a large displacement camp along Beirut's shoreline, where people uprooted by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah are still living.The service is aimed at bringing a sense of normality to families who have not been able to return home.Daniel Zeaiter has been moving between plastic chairs with clippers and scissors, trimming hair and shaving beards for residents at the camp.He said he began volunteering more than 50 days ago.Zeaiter said his aim was to bring comfort and dignity to people who lost homes or remain unable to return to southern Lebanon... [Continue Reading]
UN human rights monitors reported that at least 70 civilians have been killed across Ukraine since the start of May, with more than 500 injured. The figures were released on Wednesday and cover casualties reported nationwide. The source says waves of attacks have hit cities across the country. It does not name the attackers, specific locations, or individual incidents. The reporting frames the violence as an ongoing civilian casualty pattern rather than a single strike. Humanitarian workers were also said to be struggling to reach communities near the frontline. No additional operational details were provided on the access constraints, the... [Continue Reading]
The UN human rights office on Wednesday called on Israel to immediately release two members of the Global Sumud Flotilla detained in international waters. The office said the detention should end at once, and that the people involved were being held after an aid-related solidarity effort. The agency said solidarity with Palestinians and attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza "is not a crime." Its statement directly addressed Israel and rejected the characterization of the flotilla activity as unlawful, while giving no additional details on the detention. The source does not identify the two detained members, the exact interception point,... [Continue Reading]
An Israeli court has rejected an appeal by two activists detained after a Gaza-bound aid flotilla was intercepted in international waters, leaving an earlier decision to extend their detention in place.The ruling concerns Spanish national of Palestinian origin Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago de Avila, who were seized by Israeli forces last week and brought to Israel for questioning.Their lawyers said the Beersheva district court denied the appeal on Wednesday.The United Nations has separately called for their immediate and unconditional release, and urged an investigation into what it described as disturbing accounts of severe mistreatment.The UN rights office said... [Continue Reading]
The European Commission has rejected Israel's advance beyond the Gaza ceasefire line, saying any attempt at territorial change in the enclave is unacceptable.The comments came after Israeli forces pushed past the so-called yellow and orange lines established under a US-brokered ceasefire.Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni made the remarks in Brussels, citing the Trump peace plan and UN Security Council resolution 2735.The row centres on reported Israeli Defence Forces movement beyond the marked boundary of Israeli-controlled territory.The reported advance has also complicated aid operations.Aid organisations are said to need coordination with Israeli authorities to move in the area, while reports say... [Continue Reading]
Two activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have appeared before an Israeli court after being brought to Israel for questioning, according to the rights group representing them.Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila were taken to Ashkelon after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of more than 50 vessels in international waters off Greece early on Thursday.Israel said it had removed about 175 activists in the operation, with two taken to Israel for interrogation.The court appearance came as the state sought to extend their detention by four days, Adalah said.The group said its lawyers had met the two men... [Continue Reading]
The Nigerian military has detained approximately 1,500 people, including children, in a camp for the Fulani community for the past three months.Amnesty International has described the facility as a 'concentration camp.' According to a report by Amnesty International, many detainees have died from disease and starvation during their confinement.The group highlighted that children are among those who have succumbed to these conditions.The detention has raised serious human rights concerns amid ongoing conflicts in Nigeria.The prolonged detention and reported deaths underscore a critical humanitarian crisis.The military's actions have drawn international attention due to the scale of the detention and the reported... [Continue Reading]
At least nine people, including two children, were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to the Lebanese health ministry.The strikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure despite a ceasefire that has been in place since 16 April.In addition to the fatalities, 23 people were wounded, including eight children and seven women.Hezbollah responded with attacks on Israeli forces in the south, including a drone strike targeting soldiers in the Bint Jbeil district.The violence persists even though the ceasefire was announced following direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the ongoing Israeli military actions, describing... [Continue Reading]
The Thin, Bloody Line Between Justice and Jungle Rule IS KILLING WITHOUT MERCY NOW LEGAL? By Anthony Sterling In September 2025, the United States military launched what became known as Operation Southern Spear, a lethal campaign targeting suspected drug smuggling vessels in international waters. The stated objective was to combat narco trafficking networks operating beyond territorial jurisdiction. The ethical shock came on 2 September 2025, when a double strike in the Caribbean left survivors clinging to wreckage for nearly an hour. Drone footage reportedly showed two individuals waving from debris after the first impact. Instead of rescue, three additional munitions... [Continue Reading]