Israeli war crimes: Neutrality principle espoused by aid agencies is deathly complicity in rights abuse

Israeli war crimes: Neutrality principle espoused by aid agencies is deathly complicity in rights abuse

International aid groups must do what their Palestinian colleagues have been doing for a long time, and speak out – in plain language – about Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. If not, history will judge this as moral cowardice or, worse still, complicity.

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UN Security Council concerned Taliban’s ‘Islamic vision’ is eroding freedoms in Afghanistan

UN Security Council concerned Taliban’s ‘Islamic vision’ is eroding freedoms in Afghanistan

The Taliban de facto authority’s enforcement of the so called “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law amplified the erosion of basic freedoms, Ms Otunbayeva said, noting that monitoring by “inspectors” extended into public spaces, NGO offices, mosques, bazars and even weddings.

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Assad’s escape from Syria to Moscow was marked with deception, despair, flight and even left food cooking on the stove

Assad’s escape from Syria to Moscow was marked with deception, despair, flight and even left food cooking on the stove

Bashar al-Assad didn’t even inform his younger brother, Maher, commander of the Army’s elite 4th Armoured Division, about his exit plan, according to three aides. Maher flew a helicopter to Iraq and then to Russia, one of the people said. His maternal cousins, Ehab and Eyad Makhlouf, were similarly left behind as Damascus fell to the rebels, according to a Syrian aide and Lebanese security official. The pair tried to flee by car to Lebanon but were ambushed on the way by rebels who shot Ehab dead

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Migrant workers in Lebanon tell of horrors of slavery, inhuman living conditions as they wait to return to Africa

Migrant workers in Lebanon tell of horrors of slavery, inhuman living conditions as they wait to return to Africa

The kafala system has long been criticised by human rights groups, but the government rarely if ever addresses the criticism. But Bah knew little of that when she came to Lebanon in 2022. She was promised a job at a supermarket with a $200 monthly salary, she said. Instead, she was sent to care for an older woman once she arrived.

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Fifa comes under scathing criticism for awarding Saudi Arabia 2034 World Cup despite poor human rights record

Fifa comes under scathing criticism for awarding Saudi Arabia 2034 World Cup despite poor human rights record

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sport, revamping its domestic soccer league by signing global superstars such as Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil’s Neymar. The kingdom’s Public Investment fund (PIF) acquired English Premier League club Newcastle United and founded the LIV Golf tour, challenging the US-based PGA Tour’s dominance.

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Syria’s Golani vows retributive justice to officials in ousted Assad regime who tortured, killed detainees

Syria’s Golani vows retributive justice to officials in ousted Assad regime who tortured, killed detainees

Mohammad al-Bashir, the man installed by Golani’s fighters to lead an interim administration, said he aimed to bring back millions of refugees, create unity and provide basic services. But rebuilding would be daunting with little funding on hand.

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US wants new regime in Syria to uphold minority rights as refugees return, caretaker PM named

US wants new regime in Syria to uphold minority rights as refugees return, caretaker PM named

Rebuilding Syria will be a colossal task following a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. Cities have been bombed to ruins, swathes of countryside depopulated, the economy gutted by international sanctions and millions of refugees still live in camps after one of the biggest displacements of modern times.

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Syria’s rebels start forming government, restore order after Assad ouster as UN Security Council meets

Syria’s rebels start forming government, restore order after Assad ouster as UN Security Council meets

With the mood in Damascus still celebratory, Assad’s prime minister, Mohammed Jalali, on Monday agreed to hand power to the rebel-led Salvation Government, an administration based in rebel-held territory in northwest Syria.

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How six months of planning, Assad’s falling out with Turkey and Israeli weakening of Hezbollah precipitated to regime change in Syria

How six months of planning, Assad’s falling out with Turkey and Israeli weakening of Hezbollah precipitated to regime change in Syria

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s government, which struck a deal with Russia in 2020 to de-escalate fighting in northwestern Syria, has long opposed such a major rebel offensive, fearing it would lead to a new wave of refugees crossing its border.

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Rebels declare Syria ‘free of Assad’ as ‘ousted’ president flies out of Damascus to unknown destination

Rebels declare Syria ‘free of Assad’ as ‘ousted’ president flies out of Damascus to unknown destination

President Bashar al-Assad, who had crushed all forms of dissent, flew out of Damascus for an unknown destination earlier on Sunday, two senior army officers said, as rebels claimed they had entered the capital with no sign of army deployments.

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