Author: Emma Appleton

Ecuador’s Top Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

On June 12th, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court announced the approval of same-sex marriage after five of the nine judges voted in favour during a closed-door hearing, Al Jazeera reports. This decision was initiated after two gay couples hoping to be married were denied by the country’s civil registry and sued, ABC

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Saudi Arabia Announces Mass Execution Of 37 Men

The Saudi Arabia government recently announced the mass execution of 37 men on 23 April. According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW), 33 of the men were Shia Muslims, the maligned minority Muslim community within Saudi Arabia. One of the executed Sunni men received the most horrific punishment under Islamic

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Boycott Brunei: The World Reacts To Death By Stoning Law

A law permitting punishment by death of adultery and homosexual intercourse will go into effect in Brunei on Wednesday, 3rd of April. The law, based on the strict Islamic system of Sharia Law, means those found guilty will be stoned to death. According to CNN, the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal

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Trump Administration Plans To End Global Criminalization Of Homosexuality

Last week, the Trump administration announced their plans for a global campaign to end the criminalization of homosexuality in many nations where homosexuality is deemed illegal, U.S. officials told NBC News. Leading the effort is Richard Grenell, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany and most distinguished openly gay person in the

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Hate Crimes Against Kashmir Community Following Terrorist Attack In India

A recent terrorist attack has fuelled retaliatory aggression against the Kashmiri Muslim ethnic group in India as last Thursday, 20-year-old Adil Dar drove his explosive-ridden car into a convoy of paramilitary forces in the Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir, as reported by Al Jazeera. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based jihadist

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African Union Summit: Region’s Leaders Tackle Refugee Crisis

The 32nd African Union (AU) summit kicked off on Thursday last week in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. According to the African Union website, 2019 is “the year of refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons.” Leaders from the 55 member states will gather to find sustainable solutions to forced displacement in

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110 Dead After Preventable Brazilian Dam Collapse

According to The Guardian, 110 people have been confirmed dead with 238 still unaccounted for after a dam collapsed at the Córrego de Feijão iron ore mine in Brumadhino, Brazil. The 86-metre-high dam  released a flood of 12 million cubic metres of liquid mining waste and debris, which buried buildings

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Venezuelans Bear The Brunt Of Political Turmoil

Let’s be blunt about it- the situation in Venezuela is dreadful. On January 10, President Nicolás Maduro began his second term following a controversial, widely-disputed election. Last year, Maduro’s campaign survived violent protests across Caracas, nationwide marches led by the opposition, and even a drone assassination attempt, The Guardian reports.

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DR Congo Ethnic Violence Claims 890 Lives In Three Days

Last week the UN announced that 890 lives were claimed over three days in mid-December in ongoing ethnic violence acts in north-western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as Al Jazeera reports. This death toll is more than double the estimate reported by a local priest and civil society activist,

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Canadian Charity Exposed: Donations Funded Israeli Army Projects

Last week, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) published an exposé on the Jewish National Fund (JNF), a Canadian charity which has been audited by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). According to a complaint filed in October 2017, JNF put donations toward building infrastructure for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), including

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UN Cracks Down On Human Trafficking In Libya

The United Nations Security Council, led by the Netherlands, recently adopted a resolution to sanction perpetrators of human trafficking and sexual abuse in Libya, CNN writes. The sanctions require countries to freeze the assets of individuals committing these crimes and prevent them from travelling. This is a timely strengthening of

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Trump Withdraws U.S. Troops Leaving Syrians In the Lurch

On Wednesday 19 December, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his plan to withdraw all 2,000 American troops from Syria over the next 100 days, Al Jazeera reports. Initially, his justification for this sudden decision was the alleged defeat of ISIL. Yet, just 24 hours later, he changed his reasoning, citing

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Thailand Prepares Unlawful Extradition Of Australian-Based Refugee

Hakeem al-Araibi, an Australian-based refugee and semi-professional soccer player, remains detained in Thailand following his arrest three weeks ago, Al Jazeera reports. His arrest followed a Red Notice (an Interpol alert to find and temporarily detain an individual awaiting extradition), issued by Bahrain. The notice was then withdrawn, as notices

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Houthi Rebels And Yemeni Government Meet Face-To-Face To Negotiate Peace

UN-directed peace talks between Houthi delegates and members of the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi began Thursday in Rimbo, Sweden. They were influenced by mounting pressure from Western countries to end nearly four years of conflict, writes Voice of America. The talks mark the first negotiations between both

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Female Peacekeepers: A Silver Lining In The Ongoing Mali Conflict?

As the conflict wages on, the UN is making a conscious effort to employ more women as peacekeepers in their Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The push for gender equality is not only to empower local women but also to improve conflict resolution. Force Commander Lieutenant General Gyllensporre

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