30 June 2014
On 26 June 2014, the European Commission published a proposal to amend Article 8(4) of the Dublin III Regulation, which determines the Member State responsible for examining the asylum application of an unaccompanied child. (more…)
25 June 2014
Last year, the British government approved the export of GBP 1.6bn worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, which makes the Saudi market the UK’s biggest arms market. The export of GBP 51m worth of arms to Egypt has also been approved by the United Kingdom. These figures derive from government reports and were assembled by the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), which estimates that last year the UK approved the export of in total GBP 2bn worth of weapons to oppressive governments. (more…)
Source: The Guardian | Saudis and Egypt among biggest markets for UK arms despite human rights breaches
Source: The Guardian | Egypt’s secret prison: ‘disappeared’ face torture in Azouli military jail
24 June 2014
On 21 June, the United States denied the existence of any agreement with Sri Lanka that allows Sri Lanka’s oil refinery near Colombo to import crude oil from Iran via third parties, avoiding sanctions intended to constrain Iran’s nuclear program. According to Keheliya Rambukwella, Sri Lanka’s Media Minister and government spokesman, Sri Lanka has been importing Iranian oil from several countries, including Malaysia, through third parties, with the understanding of the US. (more…)
Source: Reuters | U.S denies any agreement allowing Sri Lanka to import Iran crude via third parties
Source: Reuters | RPT-Sri Lanka imports Iran crude via 3rd parties, avoids sanctions
20 June 2014
In an interview with Reuters, a top Pakistani government official stated that two recent drone attacks that were conducted by the CIA in the area of North Waziristan were deployed ‘with the express approval of the Pakistan government and army’. The government official remained unnamed at his own request as, according to Reuters, he was not permitted to discuss the matter with the media. (more…)
Source: The New York Times | U.S. Drone Hits Pakistan for 2nd Time in 12 Hours
Source: The Times of India | After lull, US drone strikes kill 13 in Pakistan
19 June 2014
In a statement issued on 17 June, the Shi’ite-led government of Iraq accused Saudi Arabia of promoting ‘genocide’ in Iraq by assisting Sunni militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The statement said that ‘we hold them responsible for supporting these groups financially and morally, and for the outcome of that – which includes crimes that may qualify as genocide: the spilling of Iraqi blood, the destruction of Iraqi state institutions and historic and religious sites’.
Reuters reports that Saudi Arabia finances and supplies Sunni rebels in Syria, but that it denies assisting ISIL.
Source: Reuters | Baghdad blames Saudi Arabia for promoting 'genocide' in Iraq