Saudi Arabia was elected chair of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) by “acclamation” on Wednesday after an unopposed bid for leadership with no dissent, despite outcry from human rights organizations ahead of the vote. Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdulaziz Alwasil will assume the position. The CSW is dedicated to promoting gender [...]
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UK Home Office social care worker visa program criticized in newly released report
A new inspection report released Tuesday detailed failures in the UK Home Office’s system for granting care worker visas. The report is highly critical of the sponsor licensing regime for low-skill roles and highlights that these migrant workers are at a higher risk of exploitation because of the Home Office’s shortcomings. The report stated that [...]
After years of waiting, the Tunisian judiciary has delivered its verdict in the highly publicized case of the assassination of opposition figure Chokri Belaïd. The decision, rendered late on Tuesday night after lengthy deliberations, marks a pivotal moment in Tunisia’s quest for justice and accountability. Chokri Belaïd, a prominent left-wing political figure and vocal critic [...]
New Zealand alleges Chinese state-sponsored group conducted cyberattacks on parliament in 2021
New Zealand’s government expressed concerns Tuesday about China’s alleged involvement in a cyberattack that targeted New Zealand’s parliament. According to New Zealand’s intelligence agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), the cyberattack dates back to August 2021 when the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) discovered that the networks of both the Parliamentary Council Office and [...]
Opposition protests surge following arrest of Delhi Chief Minister
Indian police detained numerous opposition protesters on Tuesday, aiming to march to the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Last week saw the arrest of Kejriwal, a pivotal political figure, on bribery charges, marking a historic moment as the first instance of a sitting chief minister [...]
UK Minister for Veterans’ Affairs ordered to provide evidence in Afghanistan war crimes inquiry
The UK Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Plymouth Moor View MP , Johnny Mercer, was ordered to provide evidence in a public inquiry regarding war crimes allegations in Afghanistan under Section 21 notice under the Inquiries Act 2005, the BBC reported on Saturday. The inquiry concerns possible war crimes perpetrated by British Special forces (UKSF) [...]
Biden signs $1.2T US government appropriations bill that includes UNRWA funding ban
US President Joe Biden signed HB 2882, called the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” on Saturday. This act provides federal government funding through September 2024 and includes a provision that prohibits funds from being used for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The act also cuts funding to the UN International [...]
Egypt authorities release Al Jazeera journalists held in pretrial detention for four years
Egyptian authorities released two Al Jazeera journalists, Rabie Al-Sheikh and Bahaa Eldin Ibrahim, held in pre-trial detention for four years, the Qatar-based news outlet announced on Friday. The Egyptian journalists were both arrested on charges of spreading false information. Ibrahim was arrested at Borg El Arab Airport in Alexandria on February 22, 2020. Al Jazeera [...]
India court holds legislation creating and regulating Islamic education schools unconstitutional
The Lucknow Bench of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh’s (UP) Allahabad High Court (AHC) held Friday that a Uttar Pradesh state legislation for the establishment and regulation of Islamic education schools called Madarsas is unconstitutional. The court deemed the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004 (Madarsa Act) unconstitutional due to its violation [...]
Explainer: Baroness Helena Kennedy Spearheads UK Genocide Monitoring and Response Bill
In a significant move towards bolstering the United Kingdom’s commitment to preventing and responding to genocide and other atrocity crimes, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws has introduced the Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill into the House of Lords. With its second reading on March 22, the bill promises to formalise and strengthen mechanisms for monitoring atrocity [...]