By Ambassador Dr Palitha Kohona The writer is Sri Lanka’s Former Ambassador to China, a former Permanent Representative to the UN, a former Foreign Secretary, and a former Head of the UN Treaty Section. The following is extracted from a presentation De Kohona made to the Colombo Port City Rotary Club. COLOMBO | 1 November […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Mass killings by RSF in El Fasher
Situation in Sudan (per 30 October) About 2,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, North Darfur, since it captured the city over the weekend. The mass killings were reportedly ethnically motivated, with reports of horrific atrocities including burning and burying people alive, stated the Preliminary […]
Trial against alleged Eritrean trafficker ‘Walid’ will start in The Netherlands on 3 November
Substantive hearings are about to begin in Zwolle, the Netherlands, in the important case against Eritrean national Tewelde Goitom (also known as “Walid” / “Welid”). The hearings are set to run across the month of November. Walid is accused of leading an international criminal network that detained, tortured, raped and extorted Eritrean refugees in Libya. […]
The Changing Monsoon in The Himalayas: Lessons from Bhutan’s Floods
By Madhurima Sarkar-Swaisgood, Prangya Paramita Gupta, Shashwat Avi, and Sanjay Srivastava, ESCAP* BANGKOK | 29 October 2025 (IDN) — The Himalayan arc from Bhutan through Nepal and India into Pakistan has always followed the rhythm of the monsoon. In 2025, that rhythm became deadly. Rain that sustains agriculture and rivers turned destructive, testing the capacity […]
The World Confronts the Genocide Washington Is Trying to Bury
By Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies NEW YORK | 27 October 2025 (IDN) — On 4 October 2025, in an interview with Axios, President Trump stressed that one of the main goals behind his Gaza plan was to restore Israel’s international standing. “Bibi took it very far and Israel lost a lot of support in […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: SAF headquarters in El Fasher fall to RSF
Situation in Sudan (per 27 October) The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of the 6th Infantry Division headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur, which was the last major stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Darfur. Various media have confirmed the authenticity of videos showing RSF fighters inside the army base. SAF and allies […]
Wars on Women Escalate as Global Conflicts Surge
A landmark UN report sounds the alarm This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 25 October 2025 (IDN) — When we think about war and peace, we often picture men in uniforms, generals in strategy rooms, and presidents at podiums. But around the world, it’s women who are bearing the brunt of war […]
From Illusion to Real Peace: Trump’s Test in Gaza and Ukraine
By Jeffrey D. Sachs & Sybil Fares This article was originally published on Al Jazeera and is being reproduced with the authors’ permission. NEW YORK | 24 October 2025 (IDN) — United States President Donald Trump styles himself as a peacemaker. In his rhetoric, he claims credit for his efforts to end the wars in […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: RSF attacks Khartoum airport
Situation in Sudan (per 23 October) The international airport in Khartoum was attacked by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drones over three days between Tuesday and Thursday. The airport, controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), was due to reopen on Wednesday after being closed for over two years. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, SAF leader, visited the […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: BNP Paribas found liable for Sudan atrocities
Situation in Sudan (per 20 October) A drone strike in Al-Mazroub, North Kordofan State, killed Paramount Chief Suleiman Jaber Jumaa Sahl and ten senior elders of the Arab Majaneen tribe and wounded 15 others. Witnesses state that the drone targeted a tribal leadership meeting at the Majaneen headquarters. The drone strike took place in an […]