News Watch

On June 11 and 12, forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda exchanged gunfire near the towns of Buhumba and Kibumba on the DRC side of the border. 

According to Congolese information minister Lambert Mende, the battle began when Rwandan soldiers crossed the border and kidnapped a corporal. Fighting renewed when the Congolese military learned that the corporal had been killed. 

Reports from Rwanda claim that Congolese troops were killed when they crossed...

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In southeastern Kenya, a group of fighters, believed to be al-Shabaab, attacked locations in the town of Mpeketoni on June 15, killing at least 48 people and burning buildings and cars. Possibly as many as 50 gunmen targeted hotels, restaurants, banks, government buildings and a police station in the town, which is near Lamu Island, a popular resort.

On June 16, attacks in nearby towns resulted in the deaths of 15 people and the kidnapping of at least 12 women.

President Uhuru...

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According to a UN report, the number of people living as refugees now totals 51.2 million worldwide, the largest number of displaced people since World War II. The UN defines “refugee” as a person “unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinon.”

The conflicts in Syria, Iraq and countries in Central Africa account for much...

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Three subway stations in Cairo, Egypt, were damaged by bombs on June 25. An improvised bomb exploded at the Shubra station, and another bomb blew up in a trash can at the Ghamra station. A short time later, bombs struck the Hadyek al-Quba and Ezbet al-Nakhl stations. In all, six people were injured, including a suspect.

Three teenage boys, including two Israelis and a duel American-Israeli citizen, were kidnapped on June 12 near Gush Etzion, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. The missing boys were found dead on June 30 near where they had been abducted.

Salafist group Dawlat al-Islam released a statement saying the kidnappings were revenge for Israel’s killing three of their members, but Israel believed that Hamas was responsible. Hamas has repeatedly denied any involvement.

Israeli...

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In Sri Lanka, clashes between Buddhists and Muslims on June 15, which left three Muslims dead and 78 people wounded, compelled authorities to institute a curfew in the southwestern towns of Aluthgama and Beruwala. 

The unrest began during a Buddhist rally in Aluthgama at which anti-Muslim slogans were chanted and, reportedly, Muslims were beaten and there was looting. The rally was in response to an incident three days earlier when Muslim youths fought with a Buddhist monk’s driver...

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Confirmed ebola deaths in West Africa rose to 467 in June, with more than 200 in Guinea alone.

Deaths from the ebola virus in neighboring Sierra Leone also rose after their first case was confirmed in late May. In an attempt to stop the spread of the virus, on June 11 Sierra Leone closed schools and movie theaters as well as its borders with Guinea. 

Ebola was also confirmed in the deaths of seven people in the Liberian capital of Monrovia.

At press time, there had been...

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The US Department of State confirmed that a US citizen was arrested in North Korea in early June as he was leaving the country. At press time, Jeffrey Edward Fowle of Miamisburg, Ohio, continued to be held. No explanation was given, but, according to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, Fowle was arrested for leaving a Bible in his hotel room.

Fowle joins two other Americans imprisoned in North Korea: Matthew Todd Miller, who was arrested April 10, 2014, and Kenneth Bae, who was arrested in...

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