INTERNATIONAL Archives - Page 32 of 74

Rohingya Refugee Boats Capsize in Bay of Bengal, Over 500 Feared Dead

July 17, 2026 Kainat R

Rohingya girl and family members at a refugee camp in Bangladesh near the Myanmar border

More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying Rohingya refugees capsized in the Bay of Bengal this week. The vessels had left Myanmar’s Rakhine state in late June, carrying passengers who included families from refugee camps across the border in Bangladesh. Background The Rohingya are a mostly Muslim ethnic minority who have lived for generations in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, though the government there has long denied them citizenship. Understanding who the Rohingya are helps explain why so many keep risking dangerous sea crossings. Rohingya language sets…

China North Korea Relations 2026: Kim Jong Un Meets Top Beijing Official as Ties Deepen

July 17, 2026 Kainat R

Kim Jong Un meets a senior Beijing official during talks on China–North Korea relations in 2026.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks this week with Wang Huning, China’s fourth-highest-ranked official, pledging to deepen cooperation between the two countries. The meeting is the latest sign that China North Korea relations 2026 have entered one of their warmest periods in years, raising fresh questions about how far Beijing’s backing of Pyongyang actually extends. Background China and North Korea have been formal allies since the 1961 Sino-North Korean Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty, a pact that technically obligates Beijing to provide assistance if North Korea is…

Iran says women, children among 35 civilians killed in recent US strikes

July 16, 2026 Nadeem Ali

TEHRAN: Iran has claimed that at least 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the latest wave of US airstrikes, as military tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. According to Iranian officials, the strikes targeted multiple locations across the country, causing extensive damage to residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Authorities said emergency teams continued search and rescue operations, with fears that the death toll could rise as more victims remain trapped under debris. Iranian state media reported that…

South Korea’s International Adoptees Demand Justice, Not Just Apologies

July 16, 2026 Kainat R

South Korea international adoptees gather in Seoul to search for their birth families and demand government accountability

Decades after being sent overseas as children, thousands of Korean adoptees are done waiting for sympathy. They want answers, records, and someone held responsible. South Korea international adoptees who spoke to reporters this month say an official apology from the government feels hollow without real accountability behind it. A Presidential Apology, Long Overdue Earlier this year, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung issued a public apology to overseas adoptees and their families. He said he felt “heavy-hearted” thinking about what so many had endured after being sent abroad as children.…

Russian Missile Attack on Kyiv Live: Russia Strikes Capital Hours After EU Drone Deal

July 16, 2026 Kainat R

Emergency responders and firefighters battling blazes in Kyiv after a Russian ballistic missile attack struck multiple city districts on July 16, 2026.

Russia launched a fresh ballistic missile attack on Kyiv in the early hours of July 16, 2026, sending explosions across multiple districts of the Ukrainian capital. The Russian missile attack on Kyiv came just hours after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Ukraine and signed a landmark drone deal with Kyiv. Ukrainian air defenses engaged the incoming missiles, but several strikes caused fires and structural damage across the city. Background The Russian missile attack on Kyiv is the latest in a relentless wave of Ukraine Russian strikes that…

France Morocco Relations: A Complicated History, a World Cup Night, and a New Chapter

July 16, 2026 Kainat R

France and Morocco national flags side by side representing diplomatic relations between the two countries

France and Morocco have one of the most layered relationships in the Mediterranean world, built on decades of colonization, migration, football, and quiet diplomacy that occasionally turns loud. This week, that relationship is back in the headlines as French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu makes his first foreign trip since taking office and he chose Rabat over any other capital. That choice says something. It’s not just a courtesy visit. It’s the latest sign that France Morocco relations, after a rocky stretch between 2021 and 2023, have entered a period of…

Back-Channel Diplomacy Between India and Pakistan: Secret Talks, Hidden Channels, and What Comes Next

July 16, 2026 Kainat R

A handshake illustration representing back-channel diplomacy between India and Pakistan officials in a neutral third country

At least four secret back-channel meetings have been held between Indian and Pakistani officials since the May 2025 military conflict. Formal ties remain frozen. But behind closed doors, something else is quietly happening. What Is Back-Channel Diplomacy? Back-channel diplomacy refers to unofficial, secret, or informal communication between governments that runs parallel to or completely outside normal diplomatic processes. It is sometimes called shadow diplomacy or quiet diplomacy. In simple terms, back-channel diplomacy is when countries talk to each other through hidden channels rather than through official embassies or foreign ministers.…

Netanyahu and Allah Ditta: One Name, Two Worlds, Different Stories

July 15, 2026 Mian Iftikhar Ahmad

Netanyahu and Allah Ditta: One Name, Two Worlds, Different Stories Picture the scene of a major international conference, where Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands with his delegation ready to deliver a speech, and suddenly one of the Pakistani journalists present raises a question in a rather provocative tone: “Mr. Prime Minister, do you know that in Urdu and Punjabi your name translates to Allah Ditta?” The interpreters’ eyes widen in disbelief, they scramble to find a suitable translation for this strange sentence, caught in a whirlwind of confusion. But…

Administrative Detention Explained: The Law Israel Uses to Hold Thousands of Palestinians Without Charge

July 15, 2026 Kainat R

Palestinian family holding photo of relative held under administrative detention without charge in Israeli prison

Administrative detention has once again come under global scrutiny after reports emerged of another Gaza doctor being held by Israeli authorities without formal charges. The practice, used by governments around the world in different forms, allows a state to imprison individuals without a trial. Understanding administrative detention meaning has become essential as more cases surface involving medical workers, activists, and civilians caught up in prolonged custody. The recent case involves a Gaza physician whose detention has drawn renewed attention to how administrative detention functions in practice. His story mirrors that…

Israel Approves Funding for 34 New West Bank Settlements

July 15, 2026 Nadeem Ali

Israeli settlement buildings in the occupied West Bank following approval of new expansion plans.

Israel’s security cabinet has approved 1.3 billion shekels ($434 million) to establish 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move likely to intensify international criticism and further complicate prospects for a future Palestinian state. Israel’s security cabinet has approved a 1.3 billion shekel ($434 million) budget to build 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The announcement marks another major expansion of Israeli settlements in the territory and is expected to increase tensions with Palestinians and draw renewed international scrutiny.…