Zelensky returns Poland’s highest honor amid escalating row over nationalist wartime unit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky give a press conference following his meeting with Dutch Prime Minister in Middelburg on April 16, 2026. (Robin Van Lonkhhuijsen/AFP/ANP/Getty Pictures) June 20, 2026 Warsaw, Poland (AP) — Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has returned Poland’s highest state honor, after the Polish president stripped him of the award as a politically charged dispute over World War II history resurfaced. Ukrainians believed the order “was meant for the
Associated Press
4 days ago
Iran: Musicians sentenced to 74 lashes for not wearing hijab
Musicians and production team understood to be facing same punishment after livestream of patriotic song By Deepa Parent Parastoo Ahmadi’s performance of the patriotic song Az Khoone Javanane Vatan (From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland) in December 2024 has been viewed millions of times. Photograph: Hosseinronaghi The Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of a production team, including musicians, have been reportedly sentenced to 74 lashes for performing in
The Guardian
5 days ago
UK Foreign Office favors UAE over Sudan genocide victims
UK prioritised ties with UAE over averting mass atrocities in Sudan, MPs to be told The UK Foreign Office failed to act on warnings of genocide due to ‘pressure’ from the United Arab Emirates, Yale human rights investigator will tell a parliamentary select committee. Rapid Support Forces killers during genocide in El Fasher The Guardian 23 June 2026 By Mark Townsend The British government had received intelligence that Ethiopia appeared to be supporting a genocidal militia
Genocide Watch
5 days ago
Rodrigo Paz declares State of Emergency in Bolivia
Rodrigo Paz declares a state of emergency in Bolivia "to clear the country's highways" June 20, 2026 By BBC News Mundo* *With information from Cecilia Barría, Ayelén Oliva, and Gerardo Lissardy. “This is not a state of emergency intended to restrict people's lives. It is exactly the opposite,” President Paz said on Saturday. (Photo from June 8). Photo: Aizar Raldes/AFP via Getty Images. After stating that he had exhausted “all avenues for dialogue,” Bolivian President Rodrigo
BBC News Mundo
6 days ago
Uncertain Futures and Restricted Movement: Afghan Refugees in Tajikistan
By Kristie Moore Photo showing migrants at the Tajik Border. Border signage states foreigners must follow migration rules. Source: TCA After the return of Taliban government to Afghanistan in 2021, former government employees and Afghan civilians fled the country, seeking safety in countries like Iran, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. Like in Iran and Pakistan, where governments have initiated mass deportations of Afghan refugees, the government of Tajikistan is making a similar mov
Genocide Watch
6 days ago
Special Report: Civilian Harm in the U.S.–Israel–Iran War
By Alzbeta Frommerova Genocide Watch The findings of this report indicate that civilians have borne the greatest burden of the 2026 U.S.–Israel–Iran war. Women and children have been particularly affected by death, injury, displacement, and the disruption of essential services. In Iran, the conflict has also deepened existing patterns of repression and insecurity, particularly in the context of the Women, Life, Freedom movement, further restricting civic space and increasing
Genocide Watch
Jun 19
