Author: Luke O'Grady

Brunei Faces Backlash Over New Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation

Brunei, a small nation on the island of Borneo in southeastern Asia, introduced new legislation this week that would allow for its citizens to be given the death penalty if they had gay sex. The law was part of a three-phase plan enacted in 2013 to gradually move the nation

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Ukrainian Presidential Election: Zelensky Leads Incumbent Poroshenko

Exit polls that were taken during the first-round of the Ukrainian presidential election on March 31st indicate that comedian Volodymyr Zelensky has gained a sizeable lead over President Petro Poroshenko. Although there have been several reports of electoral violations by the Ukrainian interior ministry, international observer organizations stationed in the

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President Nazarbayev Of Kazakhstan Resigns

The president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, stepped down this week after 30 years in the country’s highest office. His resignation has drawn unprecedented international attention to Kazakhstan after newly named interim President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that he would rename the capital city from Astana to Nur-Sultan to honor Nazarbayev. Public

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Cyclone Idai Devastates Southeastern Africa

Cyclone Idai caused significant landfall in southeastern Africa this past Thursday, causing widespread destruction by flooding roads and washing away bridges in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. UN officials have estimated that the severe weather has displaced nearly 1.5 million and killed more than 150 people across the region. As the

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Millions Disappointed Over Last-Minute Delay In Nigerian Elections

Nigeria’s electoral commission decided only hours before polls opened on Saturday to postpone the country’s presidential election by a week. This move has many concerned about the possibility of low voter turnout because Nigeria lacks an absentee ballot system and many citizens cannot afford to return to their polling locations

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Uighurs Flee China In The Face of Religious and Ethnic Persecution

The Chinese government has continued its campaign of ethnic persecution of the Uighur Muslim population of Xinjiang province in recent months. The UN Human Rights Committee has estimated that approximately 1 million Uighurs have been forced into secret detention camps across the province under the pretence of combating religious extremism.

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E.U. And U.K. Stuck In Brexit Negotiations Over The Irish Backstop

Following the historic defeat of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons two weeks ago, the U.K. government remains embroiled in legal turmoil with Brussels as it continues to search for a favourable Brexit plan. As the March 29thdeadline to exit the E.U. fast approaches, London

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DR Congo Ethnic Violence Kills Nearly 900 In A Few Days

Ethnic violence between the Banunu and Batende communities continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the wake of a historic presidential election that took place last month. The United Nations Human Rights Commission reports that at least 890 people have been killed and 465 buildings burned in

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Palestinians Vow Hunger Strike If Israel Worsens Prison Conditions

Thousands of Palestinian political prisoners being held in Israeli detention centers are threatening a massive hunger strike in response to deteriorating conditions. This development came after Israel’s Minister of Public Security, Gilad Erdan, announced early last week that the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) will begin rationing prisoners’ water supply and

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