human rights

Deaths in Gaza since the start of the war have surpassed 74,000, according to figures reported by Daily Sabah, which describes Israel's campaign there as genocide. The outlet says killings are continuing despite international scrutiny of the conflict. The reporting reflects a characterisation of the war that remains sharply contested between governments and human rights bodies worldwide.

The United States has revoked federal limits on climate pollution from power plants, removing restrictions on carbon emissions from the electricity sector. The move is drawing criticism from climate and human rights advocates, who warn it will increase emissions and undermine US climate commitments, while industry groups have long argued such rules were overly burdensome.

Displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza City are continuing their daily routines and preparing for the winter season amid shortages of basic necessities and very limited shelter options. Large areas of the city remain visibly destroyed, and residents face difficult living conditions as cold weather approaches. The situation is being shared widely as a human rights concern, drawing attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the territory.

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan says the human rights situation in the country continues to deteriorate. The warning points to ongoing concerns over conditions under Taliban rule, including restrictions on women and girls, and comes as international scrutiny of the Taliban administration remains high.

The humanitarian situation in Oleshky, a town in Ukraine's Kherson region under Russian occupation, remains dire as aid access stays limited for residents, many of them elderly, cut off after the Kakhovka dam destruction. Europe's human rights commissioner has demanded an 'immediate local ceasefire' to allow evacuation and delivery of essential supplies. The appeal has drawn attention to the plight of civilians in occupied territories.

The UN Human Rights Chief has warned that escalating violence in Yemen is worsening the suffering of civilians caught in the conflict. The statement highlights growing concern over the humanitarian toll as fighting intensifies, with ordinary Yemenis bearing the brunt of the deterioration in security and living conditions.

Bezalel Smotrich, a senior minister in Israel's government, has called for 'war' in the occupied West Bank. Human rights experts and analysts warn that the remarks should not be dismissed as election rhetoric, saying they signal a potential escalation of Israeli military operations and violence against Palestinians in the territory. The comments have drawn sharp criticism and alarm from observers tracking the region.

Forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar have executed 30 people in eastern Libya following secret military trials, according to Middle East Eye. The report has drawn condemnation and renewed scrutiny of extrajudicial killings and the conduct of military courts in Haftar-controlled territory.

An expert interviewed on Fox Business argued that the Iranian people have been the first victims of Iran's ruling regime, pointing to repression and hardship endured under its rule. The comment adds to ongoing debate about the situation inside Iran and the impact of the government's policies on its own citizens.

Human Rights Watch warns that reconstruction agreements in Syria are moving forward without essential human rights safeguards. The organization says rebuilding efforts are lacking critical protections for residents, raising concerns that victims of displacement and abuses could be excluded from recovery benefits. The report urges donors and companies involved in reconstruction to tie funding and contracts to concrete rights commitments before engaging in large-scale projects.

Mahboubeh Shabani has been sentenced to death in Iran in connection with protests that broke out in January. The sentence was reported by the Kurdish human rights group Hengaw, which monitors executions and repression in the region. Rights advocates say the ruling adds to a growing list of death sentences handed down over participation in demonstrations, and are calling for the verdict to be overturned.

Reports have emerged that deportees sent from the United States to Equatorial Guinea have been beaten and imprisoned after arrival. Critics, including the outlet Democracy Now!, have likened the practice to 'extraordinary rendition,' arguing that the US is outsourcing detention to a country with a widely criticised human rights record, prompting renewed debate over US deportation and asylum policies.

Reports from southern Lebanon say Israeli artillery shelled the town of Al-Mansouri, with claims that white phosphorus munitions were used. White phosphorus is restricted under international law because of the severe burns it causes, and its alleged use has drawn repeated condemnation from human rights groups. The report comes amid ongoing cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah-linked areas of Lebanon, which have displaced residents and raised fears of a wider conflict.

A United Nations official has said that U.S. strikes on boats suspected of carrying drugs may amount to crimes against humanity. The remark adds to international scrutiny of the American campaign against drug-trafficking vessels, with human rights advocates questioning the legality of lethal attacks on suspected traffickers who have not been given the chance to surrender or face trial.

Human Rights Watch says reconstruction agreements in Syria are being made without adequate human rights safeguards. The group's warning highlights concerns that rebuilding efforts, funded by foreign governments and investors, could proceed without protections for displaced residents, property rights, and affected communities. It calls for rights conditions to be built into future deals as international interest in Syria's reconstruction grows.

Reports indicate that femicides are increasing in South Africa, drawing renewed attention to violence against women in the country. The issue has long been a concern for human rights groups, who point to high rates of gender-based violence despite government pledges to act. Commentators are calling for stronger prevention measures and better enforcement of existing laws.

Around two million people in Mexico have been forced from their homes by armed violence and climate-related disasters, according to a report citing INEGI survey data and UNHCR figures. The displacement is concentrated in states such as Chiapas and Guerrero, where cartel conflict, poverty and repeated natural disasters are overlapping. Human rights groups are urging authorities to recognise internal displacement as a growing structural crisis and provide protection and aid to those affected.

The Trump administration has refused to allow external election observers to monitor United States elections, a decision criticized by Human Rights Watch. The group says blocking independent observers undermines electoral transparency and accountability. Critics argue international observation is a standard practice that helps assure voters of fair processes, while supporters of the decision frame it as protecting sovereignty. The move has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations.

A rights group says Iran has executed Iraqi nationals convicted of espionage for Israel, without any official announcement of the executions. The report is drawing attention to Iran's treatment of foreign prisoners on espionage charges and to the lack of transparency around death penalty cases in the country. It may also strain ties between Tehran and Baghdad.

Niger has rejected a number of key human rights recommendations made during its review before the United Nations. The decision has drawn criticism from rights groups, who say the country is refusing accountability on serious concerns. Human Rights Watch has highlighted the rejections, arguing that Niger should engage with UN member states' recommendations rather than dismiss them.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's investment summit welcomed investors from the United Arab Emirates, drawing criticism because the UAE has been accused of supplying weapons, logistics, training and personnel to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group implicated in widespread atrocities in Sudan's civil war. Critics are questioning Canada's decision to court Emirati money while human rights groups continue to document the UAE's alleged role in fuelling the conflict.