WORLD - The African Mirror

Aug

11

2025

‘They deserve this transparency’: Rep. Ayanna Pressley calls for hearing with Epstein survivors

WORLD

REP. Ayanna Pressley called for a congressional hearing to amplify the voices of trafficking survivors abused by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and their associates, in a letter shared exclusively with The 19th. Pressley and 15 Democratic colleagues argued in the letter to House Oversight Chairman James Comer that, in light of the national conversation around Epstein and whatever Department of Justice files may exist pertaining to his trafficking and sexual abuse crimes, Congress should be hearing directly from survivors. This story was originally reported by Jennifer Gerson of The 19th. Meet Jennifer and read more of her reporting on gender,…

Aug

11

2025

By WESTERN NEWS

“If we die, we die”: Myanmar’s Rakhine pushed to the brink

WORLD

This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian.By Western News ROHINGYA Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine State have for decades been subjected to a litany of abuses, including movement restrictions, arbitrary detention, forced labour, extrajudicial killings, and the denial of citizenship, but now they’re being starved of food too. It’s not just the ruling junta. In a recent news release, Human Rights Watch also accused the Arakan Army (AA), the most successful ethno-nationalist armed group taking on the junta, of similarly abusing and oppressing the Rohingya. Such allegations date back years. Human Rights Watch said life for the Rohingya under…

Aug

09

2025

By OWN CORRESPONDENT

Netanyahu’s Gaza gamble: When politics overrides military strategy

WORLD

IN a dramatic escalation that has sent shockwaves through Israel's military establishment and strained relationships with key allies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet has approved a plan for the complete military takeover of Gaza City - against the explicit warnings of the Israel Defence Forces' top brass. This decision represents more than just a tactical shift; it embodies a dangerous gamble that could reshape Israel's strategic position in the Middle East and further isolate the nation from an increasingly sceptical international community. The most striking aspect of this development is the rare public opposition from Israel's military leadership. Chief…

Aug

09

2025

By IHSAN YILMAZ; ANA-MARIA BLIUC; JOHN BETTS, and NICHOLAS MORIESON

Foreign interference can be hidden in plain sight. Here’s how countries use ‘sharp power’ in Australia

WORLD

LAST week, Australian authorities arrested a woman for foreign interference. The Chinese citizen and Canberra resident is just the third person ever charged under our foreign interference laws. According to the Australian Federal Police, she was allegedly gathering information on, and may be involved in efforts to infiltrate, the Guan Yin Citta Buddhist association. The group is banned in China, where the government regards it as a dangerous cult. The story might seem unimportant. After all, it doesn’t involve defence secrets or political leaders, but a small, relatively obscure community. But this is exactly why it matters. The case shows…

Aug

09

2025

By ANNA MATVEEVA

Armenia and Azerbaijan are trying to mend fences – what does this mean for Russia?

WORLD

AT a time when Vladimir Putin needs friends in his neighbourhood, he appears instead to be losing them in the South Caucasus. After two centuries of Russian involvement in the region, balancing the historical rivalry and at times acting as mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there is growing speculation that the two countries are preparing a major reset in relations. When Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, met the Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, in Abu Dhabi on July 10, they reportedly came close to agreeing on a peace treaty. The big question is whether, if these two countries can iron out…

Aug

08

2025

By JEFF BACHMAN and ESTHER BRITO RUIZ

Gaza isn’t the first time US officials have downplayed atrocities by American-backed regimes – genocide scholars found similar strategies used from East Timor to Guatemala to Yemen

WORLD

SINCE World War II, the United States has repeatedly supported governments that have been committing mass atrocities, which are defined by genocide scholar Scott Straus as “large-scale, systematic violence against civilian populations.” This includes U.S. support for Israel, which has remained consistent despite President Donald Trump’s recent disagreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over whether Palestinians are being starved in Gaza. We are scholars of genocide and other mass atrocities, as well as international security. In our research for a forthcoming article in the Journal of Genocide Research, we analyzed official statements, declassified documents and media reports across four cases…

Aug

07

2025

By The African Mirror

Battle for the Midterms: Trump’s Texas gambit triggers national redistricting war

WORLD

AMERICA'S Electoral Battlefield Redrawn Before Votes Are Cast. The 2026 midterm elections are already being fought - not with campaign rallies or television ads, but with maps, district lines, and legislative manoeuvring that threatens to predetermine outcomes before a single ballot is cast. At the epicentre of this constitutional crisis stands Texas, where President Donald Trump's aggressive redistricting push has ignited a nationwide battle over the fundamental integrity of American democracy. The Texas Power Grab In an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting effort, Trump-backed Texas Republicans under Governor Greg Abbott are attempting to carve out five additional GOP-favoured congressional seats through what…

Aug

08

2025

By MARCEL PLICHTA

Ukraine’s drone air war has given Zelensky additional bargaining power with Putin – new research

WORLD

DONALD Trump appears to be making another attempt to organise a three-way summit with Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to end the Russian invasion. Putin’s reluctance to meet his Ukrainian counterpart so far has often made it appear that he doesn’t think Ukraine has enough bargaining power to enter direct negotiations. But one thing that may be helping to shift the balance in Zelensky’s favour at this stage in the war is Ukraine’s enhanced drone capability. Ukrainian drones have made it impossible for the Russian population to isolate itself from the effects of a conflict fought mostly on…

Aug

07

2025

By ALI M. LATIFI and KHYBER KHAN

Afghans say they were scapegoated in Iran during Israeli bombardment

WORLD

This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian.By Ali M. Latifi and Khyber Khan FOR 12 days in June, Israeli bombs fell on Tehran, but the fear didn’t just come from the sky for the city’s Afghan residents. While plumes of smoke billowed in the air, the streets of the Iranian capital also simmered with xenophobic rhetoric and vigilante violence, amid claims Afghan nationals were providing material support to Israel. Afghans living in Iran were accused of everything from transporting and piloting drones to intelligence-gathering and planting bombs, with state-run media and X accounts even running unverified reports of…

Aug

06

2025

By The African Mirror

Gaza’s Humanitarian Catastrophe: When aid becomes a drop in an ocean of need

WORLD

IN Gaza today, arithmetic tells a story of unprecedented human suffering. The numbers are stark and unforgiving: 600 trucks of aid are needed daily to meet basic humanitarian needs for over 2 million people. The reality? A handful of convoys trickling through tactical pauses, carrying supplies that disappear like water into desert sand. "Everybody expects me to clap and say thank you," said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, his frustration cutting through diplomatic niceties. The bitter irony in his words captures the essence of Gaza's crisis – where gratitude is expected for…