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Death Toll Rises After Explosions in Turkey’s Ataturk Airport

Three suicide bombers have targeted Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey’s main international airport late Tuesday evening. The explosions have killed at least 36 people and injured at least 60 according to initial assessments. Istanbul’s governor, Vasip Sahin initially stated that at least three people were involved in the terror attack and Recent reports have increased the death toll to at least 36 with at least 147 injured. In a statement to the press Turkish Prime Minister, Prime Minister B
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Torture Still a Prevalent Issue for Human Rights in the Lead-up to the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) published documents on the 14th of June in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, exposing the specifics of the program undertaken in the Bush administration that involved the torture of detainees. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the CIA to gain access to the documents that were referenced in the 2014 report on the CIA program. The ACLU stated, “The report found that tortu
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Explosion In Istanbul Highlights Tensions In Turkey

On the 6th of June, a bomb exploded in Istanbul, Turkey and claimed the lives of at least 11 people, seven of whom were members of the police force. The explosion occurred in the Beyazit district after the bomb was placed in a car that was targeting a passing police vehicle, Al Jazeera reports. No extremist group has claimed responsibility for the attack but, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted that it was the actions of the Kurdistan’s Worker’s Party (PKK). The PKK has targeted Turki
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UN Urges Greece to Improve Living Conditions for Refugees

The United Nations has expressed its concern over several refugee sites in northern Greece as having “sub-standard conditions”, and has called on Greece to increase the standard of living for refugees at these sites. The UN voiced its concern on the 27th May after police began to move approximately 8000 refugees from the temporary camp at Idomeni, located on the closed border between Greece and Macedonia to the 35 already overcrowded accommodation sites throughout Greece. Although the UN has ac
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President Trump Recognizes Jerusalem As The Capital Of Israel

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, announcing plans to move the US Embassy there. President Trump stated that after two decades of no progress towards a peace agreement between the Israeli and Palestinians, it was time for the decision to be made. “This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do,” he stated from the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room. The move has come despite warnings from leaders aro
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Is Halting Immigration And Ostracization Potentially Damaging To The U.S.?

In the wake of the devastating terror attack that left eight dead in New York City, President Donald Trump called for tighter immigration measures; he recommended Congress to ‘immediately’ end the visa program that allowed the Uzbek immigrant, who was charged for the attack, to enter the country. The visa that allowed the accused, Sayfullo Saipov, to enter the country was the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. The program is aimed at bringing diversity by taking in individuals from countries with
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Do We Need To Change How We Report Mass Shootings?

Does the media report mass shootings* and violent crimes responsibly? On October 1st, just after 10 pm, Stephan Paddock opened fire from a hotel room at 22 000 concertgoers. Less than 2 hours later, 58 people had been killed and nearly 500 were injured. This event was quickly labelled the worst U.S mass shooting in modern history. On June 12th, 2016, Omar Mateen opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and injuring 58. Two separate events and in both cases (and in
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Australia’s New Strategy Against Terrorism In Crowded Spaces

The Federal Government recently announced Australia’s first national strategy for protecting crowded places from terrorism. The announcement looks to respond to the devastating terror attack in Barcelona by addressing concerns the use of vehicles as weapons among crowds. Currently, Australia’s National Terrorism Threat Level is “probable.” According to the policy outline, “this reflects the advice of the ASIO that individuals and groups continue to possess the intent and capability to conduct a
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President Trump Announces Ban Of Transgender People In The U.S Armed Forces

President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday in a tweet that the United States would be banning transgender individuals from serving in the nation’s armed forces. In a series of tweets President Trump stated the following: “After consultation with my generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States government will not accept or allow … transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming … victory and
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New York State Passes Anti-Child Marriage Law

The state of New York is one step closer to ending child marriage. On the 20th of June 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that aims to “dramatically reduce the circumstances under which children can marry” as reported by the Human Rights Watch. The new legislation prevents any marriage or civil union under the age of 17 and will only allow 17-year-olds to marry with a judge’s permission. The previous laws set the minimum age for marriage in New York at 18, but 16 and 17-year-old chi
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The United Nations Expresses Concern Over The Increase Of Conflict-Related Child Deaths In Afghanistan

The United Nation’s Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has released a statement expressing concern over the rising numbers of child deaths in conflict zones during 2017, urging involved parties to take action. The statement includes figures showing that between January 1 and April 30, 2017, compared to the same period in 2016, there has been a 21 percent increase in child deaths. In the same period, there have been 987 child casualties, 283 deaths and 704 injuries. Other statistics inclu
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US Warships Advance Towards Koran Peninsula

The United States’ warships have advanced towards the Korean Peninsula in the Western Pacific Ocean as a reactive show of force due to growing concerns about North Korea’s advancing weapons program. In a statement by the US navy’s Third Fleet on Saturday, the strike group had been directed to sail north, but it did not specify the destination. The warships strike group, named Carl Vinson, includes an aircraft carrier and, instead of following the previous plans of port visits to Australia, it w
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US Forces Admit Responsibility For Killing 33 Civilians In Taliban clash

United States’ military operations in northern Afghanistan, who were targeting the Taliban, has been found to have been responsible for the deaths of 33 civilians. In November 2016, the United Nations announced investigations into the event on the 3rd of November, where US airstrikes were deployed in support of a special forces raid on suspected Taliban fighters after civilian casualties. At the time, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern over the use of such mil
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The Casey Review

A United Kingdom government report has raised concerns over the lack of refugee integration among local communities. The report was commissioned by the British government over a year ago and stated that the country has failed to keep up with the changes brought by immigration. Former Prime Minister David Cameron commissioned before his resignation and over a year later, Dame Louise Casey published her findings on Monday. The report not only raised the economic and social issues faced by minorit
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Australia Seeks To Introduce Refugee And Asylum Seeker Ban

The Coalition introduced a proposal to amend the Migration Act. The amendment would see those who arrived in Australia by boat, excluding minors, from 2013 be banned from ever entering the country, including on tourist and business visas. The proposal comes as the government hardens their stance on border protection. Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, has stated that the amendment would be in line with Australia’s international obligations. Dutton has called on a Bill Shorten for Labour to ba
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Russia’s Actions In Syria Need To Be Made Accountable

Russia has been strongly accused of war crimes based largely on the accusation of the widespread use of bunker-busting and incendiary bombs on the 275,000 civilians living in Aleppo, Syria. During the emergency security council session on Syria, United Kingdom ambassador to the United Nations, Matthew Rycroft, stated that “Bunker-busting bombs, more suited to destroying military installations, are now destroying homes, decimating bomb shelters, crippling, maiming, killing dozens, if not hundred
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Australia Criticised Over Hollow Promises

September, 9th, 2015, former Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott committed Australia to resettling 12,000 refugees from the Syrian and Iraq conflict. On year one, however, only 3,500 refugees have been resettled and Australia is being criticized over “hollow promises” by multiple human rights groups. The figures have been compared to Canada’s intake which shows a drastic contrast. The Guardian Australia reports that the Canadian government, between November 2015 and February 2016, settled 25
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Nauru: Australia’s Shame

Allegations of self-harm and sexual abuse incident reports being downgraded, a guard grabbing a boy by the throat and banging his head against the ground, and a seemingly dispassionate Minister for Immigration all splashed across the Australian and international news scenes. The Nauru Files were released August 2016, exclusively, by The Guardian Australia in what is the “largest cache of documents to be leaked from within Australia’s asylum seeker detention regime.” The offshore processing of r
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Dozens Hacked to Death and Trust in the UN Lessens in the DR Congo

In the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the death toll rises with at least 64 people dead after an attack suspected to have been carried out by rebels. The reports emerged on Al Jazeera, who Nyonyi Bwanakawa, the mayor of Beni in North Kivu, informed that the attack on Saturday night happened in the town’s Rwangoma district. The DRC’s armed forces have accused the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) of carrying out the brutal attacks. The AFD is a Ugandan rebel group that operates in
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Burundi Rejects UN’s Troop Deployment Despite Increasing Violence

Burundi, formally the Republic of Burundi, has rejected the United Nation’s proposal to deploy up to 228 United Nations police officers to monitor human rights abuses and ease tensions after a year of violence. The country has faced political turmoil and increasing violence due to President Pierre Nkurunziza announcing plans in April 2015 to run for a third term in office. This sparked protests by his opposition who stated that he was violating the constitution and the peace deal that ended a c
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