UN COMMISSION "The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza," Pillay said. "It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention." Pillay said "responsibility for the atrocity crimes lies with Israeli authorities at the highest echelons" over the nearly two-year war. The commission concluded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had incited the commission of genocide. To back up the finding, the report cites the scale of the killings in Gaza, aid blockages, forced displacement and the destruction of a fertility clinic. A leading association of genocide scholars and several rights groups have also reached the same conclusion. Israel's ongoing war in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 people, the vast majority of them civilians, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave, statistics that the United Nations considers reliable. International researchers estimate that the true toll is much higher. Israeli rights groups accuse government of genocide in Gaza 03:18 Israel 'categorically rejects' commission's report Israel's Foreign Ministry slammed the report, calling it "distorted and false" and accused the commission members of being "notorious for their openly antisemitic positions." "Israel categorically rejects this distorted and false report and calls for the immediate abolition of this Commission of Inquiry," a Foreign Ministry statement said. The ministry claimed that the team members behind the report, including a former International Criminal Court judge, were "Hamas proxies." The UN Commission of Inquiry is not a legal body. However, its reports can create diplomatic pressure and provide evidence for later use by courts. Pillay told the AFP news agency that the commission was cooperating with the International Criminal Court prosecutor. "We've shared thousands of pieces of information with them," she said. 17th September,2025

REBEL FAMILY Nine years in a penal colony: That is the sentence Zarema Musayeva has to serve because her sons rebelled against Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov. Zarema’s family is doing everything they can to ensure she is not forgotten. Letters from a Chechen Prison - Zarema and Her Rebel FamilyLetters from a Chechen Prison - Zarema and Her Rebel Family Image: Windrose Every dictator has their own way of intimidating opponents. In Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov punishes human rights activists by imprisoning someone close to them. Letters from a Chechen Prison - Zarema and Her Rebel FamilyLetters from a Chechen Prison - Zarema and Her Rebel Family Image: Windrose Abubakar, Ibragim and Baisangur Yangulbayev are vocal critics of Ramzan Kadyrov. They denounce abuses in Chechnya on the internet and were forced to flee Russia. Their mother Zarema Musayeva was less fortunate. In January 2022, authorities abducted her from her home in Nizhny Novgorod, some 1,800 kilometers from the Chechen capital Grozny. Letters from a Chechen Prison - Zarema and Her Rebel FamilyLetters from a Chechen Prison - Zarema and Her Rebel Family Image: Windrose Her health has deteriorated significantly since then. She suffers from diabetes but is forced to do hard labor. Zarema is paying a high price for the commitment of her sons, who are continuing their actions in exile in the hope that international attention will save their mother's life. 17th September,2025

RARE-EARTH Ecologists are warning that mainland Southeast Asia faces a looming ecological disaster unless urgent steps are taken to address the rare-earth mining boom in war-torn Myanmar. According to Global Witness, a London-based watchdog, Myanmar has become the world's largest source of heavy rare-earth elements. These minerals are essential for manufacturing high-tech products like wind turbines, electric vehicles and medical devices. Most of these mines are located in Shan state, where civil war has raged since the 2021 military coup. Earlier this year, Thailand's Department of Pollution Control found arsenic levels nearly four times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) limits in parts of the Kok River, a Mekong tributary flowing into Thailand from Myanmar. Other toxic metals were also detected at dangerous levels. A mining site on the slopes of a mountain in Myanmar's Kachin Special Region 1A mining site on the slopes of a mountain in Myanmar's Kachin Special Region 1 Rare-earth mining has exploded in Myanmar's Kachin region, making it the world's largest source of supplyImage: Supplied by a Global Witness partner The Kok runs through northern Thailand's Chiang Rai province before merging with the Mekong, where arsenic concentrations have also reportedly been detected. The Mekong is Southeast Asia's longest river, which provides a lifeline for millions. Experts fear the contamination could seep into irrigation systems that feed vast stretches of the region's farmland and drinking water supplies. The WHO has reportedthat prolonged exposure to arsenic and other metals can cause cancer, neurological disorders and organ failure. "What we see now is just the beginning," Pianporn Deetes, campaigns director at International Rivers, a conservation NGO, told DW. "If left unchecked, the situation could deteriorate rapidly — potentially hundreds of unregulated mines upstream, heavy contamination spreading through the Mekong and its tributaries, and ultimately acidification of waters reaching as far as the seas," she said. Limited options After petitions from local communities in June, Thai authorities proposed building underwater sediment barriers or mini-dams on the Kok to trap toxic deposits before they reach villages. Environmental groups say such infrastructure will take years to complete, while the crisis is already unfolding. Bangkok has few options. The problem lies largely within Myanmar's borders, particularly in Shan state, where new mines are located in territory controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), a powerful China-backed militia that oversees two semi-autonomous enclaves. Reuters has reported that the UWSA provides armed protection for Chinese-run mining operations there. Neither Myanmar's military rulers nor international organizations exert meaningful control over the region. Currently, it is unknown whether the pollution has remained concentrated in northern Thailand or whether it has already leached into the Mekong, potentially affecting downstream nations. 17th September,2025

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS At least 142 environmental advocates were killed around the world in 2024, with four more going missing, according to a report by non-governmental organization Global Witness. Most of the victims were indigenous people or farmers, as well as activists against mining, logging, agriculture, poaching and energy projects. Those carrying out the attacks were mostly criminal groups, although incidents involving state security forces were also recorded. Most of the killings remain unsolved. Tierra de Resistentes 02:07 Which country is most dangerous for 'environmental defenders'? Colombia is the most dangerous country for so-called "environmental defenders" with 48 people killed, with Guatemala — 20 victims — and Mexico — 18 victims — the next most perilous countries. More than 80% of the victims were in Latin America, with the current report bringing the total number of deaths recorded there since 2012 to 2,253. While the worldwide number of deaths in 2024 fell by 28%, from 2023, Global Witness say the real number could be higher due to unreported cases. The organization emphasized governments' role in protecting environmental defenders by investigating attacks and prosecuting the perpetrators. 17th September,2025

NO FEES, NO STRESS President John Mahama has unveiled sweeping reforms in Ghana’s education sector, vowing to make quality learning accessible to all as a guaranteed right rather than a privilege. Speaking at a media briefing at the Jubilee House, he revealed that more than 120,000 first-year students in public tertiary institutions have already benefited from refunds of admission fees under the flagship “No Fees Stress” policy. He explained that the initiative was aimed at preventing brilliant but needy students from losing their admissions because they could not pay fees up front. “It signalled a decisive break from the painful era when dreams of young Ghanaians were cut short simply because they could not afford to pay fees,” he said. On secondary education, Mr. Mahama announced that the Free SHS programme had been reinforced with a historic GH¢3.5 billion allocation. He added that a new decentralised feeding system would be rolled out to empower schools to serve students more nutritious and better quality meals. 17th September,2025

AFRICAN TRAVELLERS Burkina Faso says it has removed visa fees for all African travellers, in an effort to facilitate the movement of people and goods into the country. "From now on, any citizen from an African country wishing to go to Burkina Faso will not pay any amount to cover visa fees," said Mahamadou Sana, the country's security minister, following a cabinet meeting chaired by military leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré on Thursday. African visitors will, however, be required to submit an online visa application, which will be reviewed for approval, the minister clarified. The West African nation joins countries such as Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya, which have eased travel requirements for African visitors. Citizens of West African countries can already travel to Burkina Faso without the need for visas; however, this may change in the future because the country has pulled out of the regional bloc, Ecowas, along with its neighbours, Mali and Niger, which are also under military rule. Capt Traoré, a young soldier who seized power in a 2022 coup, portrays himself as a champion of Pan-Africanism, while often criticising the West and colonialism. He is admired on the continent for his charismatic leadership. His popularity has been fuelled through social media, including many misleading posts intended to bolster his revolutionary image. But Capt Traoré has also faced criticism for his authoritarian style of governance, his handling of dissent and the ongoing Islamist insurgency. Like its Sahel neighbours, Burkina Faso has been battling armed jihadist groups, with an estimated 40% of the country under their control. Despite promises by Capt Traoré's military government to improve security and seek new partnerships with Russia, the situation remains dire with frequent attacks. The scrapping of visa fees for the continent's nationals reflects Burkina Faso's attachment to Pan-Africanist ideals and promotes regional integration, a statement from the junta's information service said late on Thursday. "This free visa system for African nationals will also help promote tourism and Burkinabe culture, and improve Burkina Faso's visibility abroad," it added. Several African countries have tried to ease travel requirements for visitors from elsewhere on the continent in recent years, with studies showing it is often easier for citizens of Western countries to visit. The move to facilitate travel within the continent is also being pushed by the African Union (AU). Earlier this year, Ghana said all African passport holders would now be able to visit without needing a visa. Last year, Kenya introduced a "visa-free" policy that required most visitors to apply online for authorisation before leaving their country. African visitors to Rwanda also do not need a visa to enter the country. 17th September,2025

PRESIDENT’S ADMISSION On May 2, 2025, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana gave the nation and the markets a message of confidence. He insisted that the stability of the cedi was not being propped up by intervention. “The stability you are seeing now, it’s not because we are intervening, it’s not because we are selling reserves for stability, no. Remember our reserves program is actually going up by the day. We are building more and more reserves. All that we are doing is strengthening the surge in inflows, a number of foreign exchange market reforms are being implemented. It is the combination of all these factors,” he declared. To investors and ordinary Ghanaians, the message was simple: the cedi was walking on its own feet, not leaning on the central bank’s crutches. Fast forward to September 10, 2025, and the story shifted dramatically. The President announced: “The Bank of Ghana had been intervening in the forex market, but they have withdrawn.” In one sentence, the President undermined the narrative that had been carefully crafted just four months earlier. What was hailed as reform-driven strength in May was rebranded as intervention-driven illusion by September. This contradiction is more than semantics. Currencies thrive on confidence, and confidence is built on consistency. If the central bank claimed to be building reserves while the presidency admitted those reserves were being used to intervene, then one of two things must be true: either the Governor misled the public, or the President revealed what the Governor was hiding. In both cases, credibility suffers, and when credibility falls, the cedi follows. A cedi cannot have two birth certificates: one signed by reforms and another by interventions. Mixed signals don’t just confuse the public; they invite speculation, erode trust, and weaken the very foundation of stability. In currency markets, contradictions are costly. The cedi doesn’t just need reserves, it needs one honest story. 17th September,2025

DR BAWUMIA Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has paid tribute to Apostle Kwadwo Safo, the founder of Kristo Asafo Church and Kantanka Group of Companies, who died last Thursday, at age 77, saying he "served Ghana beyond the capacity of a religious leader." Reacting to the news of the passing of Apostle Safo, Dr Bawumia described him as someone who pioneered indigenous innovations and forcefully inspired an industrial spirit amongst Ghanaians. "He was also dedicated to improving the lives of the less privileged in society as witnessed in his celebrated numerous philanthropic endeavours." Below is a copy of Dr Bawumia's reaction I have received with deep sadness the news of the passing of Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, a pioneering Ghanaian innovator; and the founder and leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission. Apostle Safo served Ghana beyond the capacity of a religious leader. He pioneered indigenous innovations and forcefully inspired an industrial spirit amongst Ghanaians. He was also dedicated to improving the lives of the less privileged in society as witnessed in his celebrated numerous philanthropic endeavours. As a religious leader, his open arms received me. Anytime I called on him, I departed his presence with lasting words of encouragement and wisdom. On behalf of my family, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, the Kristo Asafo Mission, and all who mourn this irreparable loss. May his legacy continue to endure and inspire future generations to believe in our domestic solutions, serve their communities, and put Ghana first. Born August 26, 1948, he died on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Apostle Kwadwo Safo over the years established himself as a well-known preacher, inventor, innovator, physicist, chemist, biologist, agriculturalist and philanthropist. Nicknamed 'The Star of Africa", he was also the founder of the Great KOSA network of companies and the Chairman of the Kantanka Group of Companies. He founded Kantanka Automobile, a Ghana-based automotive company, and the Kristo Asafo Mission, a religious and industrial organisation. Apostle Safo was known for his contributions to local manufacturing and technological innovation in Ghana, particularly through vehicles like the Kantanka Omama SUV and Onantefo pickup truck, designed for African markets. 17th September,2025