Welcome to our roundup of news and current events related to ethics and international affairs! Here’s some of what we’ve been reading this past week:
Photo Credit: Henry Wilkins/VOA via Wikimedia Commons
DW - Sudan: Mass killings prompt fears of a new Darfur genocide
In the region of Darfur in Sudan, the seizure of the city of el-Fasher by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has included mass executions of civilians, with reports of systematic killings outside hospitals and satellite imagery showing mass graves. Local residents recount how the RSF has stripped civilians of their possessions, executed those suspected of connections to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and systematically targeted non-Arab ethnic groups. Analysts now warn that the RSF operations in el-Fasher resemble the grim hallmarks of another genocide unfolding. Despite demands from some international organizations to establish humanitarian corridors, access is largely blocked and the international community has failed to engage in a meaningful protection mission for civilians.
Read more on violence, protecting civilians in warfare, and international responses to atrocities in Ethics & International Affairs:
Where to Protect? Prioritization and the Responsibility to Protect (2021: 35-2)
What Future for Peace Operations? (2025: 38-4)
Continuums of Violence and Peace: A Feminist Perspective (2020: 34-1)
Photo Credit: Operation Crossroads Baker via Wikimedia Commons
New York Times - Trump’s Call to Resume Nuclear Testing After Decades Revives a Cold War Debate
President Trump’s directive to the United States “Department of War” to resume nuclear weapons testing after more than three decades signals a dramatic shift in U.S. strategic posture. Framed as a response to rising capabilities in Russia and China, Trump’s move threatens to undermine long‑standing arms control norms. Despite claims from Trump that states are currently testing their nuclear arsenals, no country has tested a nuclear weapon since 2017. While proponents argue that restarting nuclear testing will restore U.S. deterrence credibility, nuclear experts warn this directive could unravel decades‑old treaties and norms that have helped maintain stability. Domestically and internationally, the decision provokes strong pushback: U.S. lawmakers and foreign officials caution that the policy may prove reckless.
Read more about nuclear ethics in Ethics & International Affairs:
Just and Unjust Nuclear Deterrence (2023: 37-1)
The Ethics of Choosing Deterrence (2023: 37-1)
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AP News - UN human rights chief says US strikes on alleged drug boats are ‘unacceptable’
The Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific have become key fronts in President Trump’s expanded military campaign targeting alleged maritime drug trafficking. Now, the buildup of naval assets near Venezuela marks a sharp escalation in Washington’s posture across the Western Hemisphere. While the Trump administration defends the operations as essential to counterterrorism and anti-drug campaigns, critics argue they violate international law and undermine regional sovereignty, with the United Nations openly condemning the strikes. Specifically, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for an investigation into the strikes from the United States. Strikes outside the context of armed conflict and the intentional use of lethal force may constitute extrajudicial killings and raise important debates over the ethics of warfare. The campaign from the U.S. has also strained relations with regional partners such as Mexico and Colombia, who have expressed growing unease over unilateral U.S. actions.
Read more about Trump’s campaign in Venezuela and ethics of warfare in Ethics & International Affairs:
Justice between Wars (2021: 35-3)
International Law and the Humanization of Warfare (2024: 37-4)
Photo Credit: Jaber Jehad Badwan via Wikimedia Commons
BBC - Can the Gaza ceasefire deal survive?
Despite claims from President Trump that “nothing is going to jeopardize” the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, numerous Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip question the durability of the ceasefire and Israel’s acceptance of the deal. While Israel says it is targeting “terrorists,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on Israel to comply with international humanitarian law and has labeled the deaths in Gaza “appalling.” Continued human rights abuses and violence are continuing to test the survivability of the ceasefire deal and threaten any progress along Trump’s 20-point peace plan. While Hamas has condemned the Israeli strikes, Hamas officials continue to insist on abiding by the terms of the deal. Ultimately, engagement from key international partners, including the US, Egypt, and Qatar, is needed to promote any future prospect of peace and rebuilding in Gaza.
Read more about Gaza, conflict resolution, and humanitarian law in Ethics & International Affairs:
Ethics in a Complex World: Why Moral Clarity Is Not Simple (October 2025)
A Human Rights Approach to Conflict Resolution (2019: 33-3)
Limited Force and the Return of Reprisals in the Law of Armed Conflict (2020: 34-2)