World

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a war crimes investigation into the killing of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. The secretary-general’s comments came after shocking images from Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv showed hundreds of dead people, some with bullet wounds and their hands tied behind their backs in areas previously under the control of Russian troops. Guterres, stressed that an independent probe was needed to […]

Chinese authorities have extended the lockdown of Shanghai to cover all its 25 million people. There had been separate measures for the eastern and western sides, but the whole city is now subject to indefinite restrictions. Reported cases have risen to more than 13,000 a day, although the numbers are not high by some international standards. Residents in some areas of the city said the strict policy meant no-one was […]

At least 40 Members of Parliament, MPs have left Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa's coalition government. The MPs from three parties aligned with Rajapaksa's led coalition said they would now independently represent themselves. This comes as the South Asian nation is grappling with power cuts and shortages due to an economic and foreign exchange crisis. The President’s cabinet has already resigned, but both the president and his brother, Prime Minister […]

At least seven people died when a goods train derailed in the southeast Democratic Republic of the Congo. The accident occurred in the village of Buyofwe, Lualaba province. Lualaba Interior Minister, Deoda Kapenda said seven people died and 14 were seriously injured in the latest accident. Kapenda revealed that the toll could rise because a large number of clandestine passengers were trapped under the upturned wagons.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has dropped his brother as finance minister, Basil Rajapaksa. A statement issued by President Rajapaksa’s media office, revealed that four ministers were appointed to ensure other tasks can be conducted in a lawful manner until a full Cabinet is sworn in. The statement noted that the Justice Minister Ali Sabry would be the new finance minister, replacing the President’s brother Basil Rajapaksa. President Rajapaksa is […]

Sri Lanka’s embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called for a unity government to deal with the country’s economic crisis. A statement issued by the office of the president invited all political parties in parliament to accept cabinet posts and join the effort to seek solutions to the national crisis. The statement stressed that solutions to the deepening crisis would be found within a democratic framework. It added that time has […]

Sri Lanka’s cabinet members have resigned en masse. The education minister, Dinesh Gunawardena said all 26 ministers aside from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his elder brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Gunawardena revealed that the ministers submitted their letters of resignation so that the president can constitute a new cabinet, adding that the decision was taken after discussing the worsening economic crisis. This came after thousands of people defied a weekend […]

Sri Lanka’s president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has declared a state of emergency. President Rajapaksa invoked the tough laws allowing the military to arrest and imprison suspects for long periods without trial. According to him, the emergency was declared for protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community. The nation is facing severe shortages of essentials, sharp price rises and crippling power […]

The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to endorse the African Union’s new transitional mission in Somalia. The Security Council authorized it to take action against al-Qaeda and armed groups allied to the ISIL, as well as to conduct a phased handover of security responsibilities to Somalia’s government. The vote replaces African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM, which has been in the Horn of Africa nation for 15 years […]