Author: DW

Plenty of people have died on small boats trying to cross the Channel. But this was different.The people who perished in the waters off Wimereux died not just because of the greed of people smugglers, or the inadequacy of their boat. This is a story about violence. What really killed these people was a hijacking, and by the increasingly dangerous and volatile atmosphere that lingers over the lives of migrants in northern France who are trying to get to Britain.Often we have heard stories of feuds and of weapons being used between rival groups in camps. Now, it seems that…

“The roof came crumbling down upon us. We felt as if we were free-falling towards the ground,” said Afroza Begum, recalling the events of April 24, 2013, when the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory building on the outskirts of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, killed 1,134 and wounded at least 2,500 people.    At the time, Begum worked as a seamstress there, producing garments for several global fashion brands. “Fifteen or so of us laid in a pile on top of each other. Scratching, grunting and looking for an escape. There was no electricity, so it was pitch dark,” she…

Numerous media outlets are reporting that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to announce sanctions against a battalion of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The unit, known as Netzah Yehuda (Judea Forever), has been accused of human rights violations against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to the Associated Press news agency, the US has been investigating five army units for serious human rights violations. These sanctions, however, would only apply to this unit, imposing two restrictions: Firstly, no US military aid would go to Netzah Yehuda; secondly, its participation in training programs financed by the US would be limited.…

The UN’s human rights chief has said he is “horrified” by reports of mass graves containing hundreds of bodies in Gaza.Palestinian authorities said they were uncovered at Nasser hospital in the central city of Khan Younis, and at al Shifa hospital in Gaza City.Some had their hands tied and were “stripped of their clothes”, said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for UN human rights commissioner Volker Turk.Middle East latest: Israel orders new evacuation in ‘dangerous combat zone'”The intentional killing of civilians, detainees and others who are hors de combat [not participating in hostilities] is a war crime,” said Mr Turk in a…

Spain’s High Court on Tuesday ordered the reopening of an investigation into the alleged hacking of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other Spanish politicians’ phones with Pegasus spyware. The investigation was launched in 2022 when the government said software from the Israeli firm NSO Group was used to spy on ministers, triggering a political crisis in Spain. The probe was shelved last year over “the complete lack of legal cooperation” from Israel. After receiving new information from French judicial authorities, Judge Jose Luis Calama decided to reopen Spain’s investigation. What is the Pegasus software? Pegasus is a software that can be used on…

At least 16 people have died after a boat they were traveling in from Yemen capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration said on Tuesday. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the IOM wrote that “Tragedy as boat capsizes off Djibouti coast with 77 migrants on board including children,” adding that at least 28 people were missing. The Ethiopian Ambassador to Djibouti Berhanu Tsegaye, wrote, on X that 33 people survived the disaster. Local authorities were assisting IOM with search and rescue operations. Tsegaye wrote the boat was carrying Ethiopian migrants from Yemen and…

More than 100 students and staff were arrested at New York University (NYU) last night as protests around the Israel-Hamas war reached a boiling point. Recent days have seen an escalation of long-running largely pro-Palestinian protests in some of the country’s most prestigious educational establishments. Protesters at NYU, Columbia and Yale have made various demands of their universities, including that they end their relationships with universities in Israel, take stronger action over the war and divest from military weapons manufacturers who have links to Israel.It has led to growing tensions on campus which have become hotbeds for protest, as some…

A Moscow court on Tuesday rejected the latest appeal by US reporter Evan Gershkovich against his pre-trial detention, more than a year after he was arrested on spying charges. The Wall Street Journal reporter was arrested on March 29, 2023 in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. He was charged with espionage shortly after — an accusation denied by Gershkovich, his employer and the US government. “It continues to be outrageous that Evan has been wrongfully detained by the Russian government for more than a year,” the WSJ said.  No trial date has been set. Russia’s FSB security agency said he was accused of gathering information on “the activities…

What are the reactions to the Rwanda bill? With the final passing of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act after a long marathon between the two houses of parliament in the UK, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that deportation flights of asylum seekers to the small African nation would start in the coming weeks. “We are ready, plans are in place and these flights will go, come what may,” Sunak said at a press conference. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo meanwhile said on Tuesday that Kigali was also “pleased” to learn about the UK decision to pass a bill allowing…

The Irish premier has apologised on behalf of the state over the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire in which 48 people died.A decades-long fight for justice culminated last week in an inquest finding that they had all been unlawfully killed in the Dublin tragedy.Taoiseach Simon Harris said the state had failed families when “you needed us most” – and politicians stood in applause in parliament to acknowledge family members in the public gallery.”I know you were forced to endure a living nightmare which began when your loved ones were snatched from you in a devastating fire,” Mr Harris said.”I am deeply…