human rights

The United States has moved to revoke federal limits on climate pollution from power plants, removing emissions restrictions on one of the country's largest sources of greenhouse gases. Human Rights Watch reports the decision, which critics say will worsen climate change and its health effects, while supporters frame it as relief from costly regulations on the energy sector.

Civil society groups warn that the Houthi movement is forcing children to fight on Yemen's battlefields, a long-standing concern documented by human rights monitors during the country's decade-long war. Yemeni civil society organisations are renewing calls for accountability and international attention to child recruitment as fighting continues across the country.

Ukrainian officials report that Russian forces are detaining about 2,000 people in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region, holding them without food or water. Nearly 50 of those being held are said to be children. The claim, reported by Ukrinform, adds to a pattern of allegations about the treatment of civilians under Russian occupation, and has prompted calls for international attention to the situation.

US immigration authorities are deporting thousands of migrants to third countries where they have no citizenship, family or other connections. The practice, highlighted in reporting by The Newsmakers, is drawing criticism from human rights advocates who argue it may violate international law and leaves deportees vulnerable in unfamiliar nations with little support.

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.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly called for 'war' in the occupied West Bank. Human rights experts and analysts warn his remarks should not be dismissed as election rhetoric, saying they point to a potential escalation of Israeli military operations against Palestinians in the territory. The statement has drawn sharp criticism and concern among observers already alarmed by rising violence in the region.

An expert says the Iranian people have been the regime's first victims, arguing that the government's repression falls hardest on its own citizens. The remark frames Iran's leadership as a threat primarily to Iranians themselves, a point resonating amid ongoing debate over human rights abuses and the country's role in regional tensions.

Al Jazeera reports on displaced Palestinians in the West Bank who are running out of ways to support themselves. Families forced from their homes say they are sinking deeper into debt as savings and belongings run out, with one describing having 'empty hands'. The feature highlights the growing humanitarian and economic strain on displaced communities there.

At least 186 students and teachers have allegedly been killed in Iran, prompting human rights organizations to call for an independent investigation into the deaths. The reported toll has drawn international attention and condemnation, with advocacy groups urging accountability and transparency from Iranian authorities. Details about the circumstances of the killings remain limited as calls for a formal probe grow.

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.

Human Rights Watch is warning that reconstruction agreements in Syria are proceeding without critical human rights safeguards. The organisation says deals to rebuild the war-damaged country lack frameworks ensuring housing, land and property rights are protected, raising concerns that displaced Syrians could be excluded from recovery or lose their homes. The warning has been published in both English and Arabic to reach audiences inside Syria and internationally.

Reports describe US deportees sent to Equatorial Guinea being beaten and imprisoned after arrival, prompting comparisons to the US practice of extraordinary rendition. Critics say the deportations amount to outsourcing detention to a country with a widely criticized human rights record, and the story is drawing strong reactions from rights advocates and audiences concerned about treatment of migrants and asylum seekers.

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.

A new figure of around two million people forced from their homes in Mexico is drawing attention. The number, attributed to data from the national statistics institute INEGI, points to displacement driven by criminal violence, particularly in states like Chiapas and Guerrero, combined with the effects of natural disasters and the climate crisis. Human rights groups and UNHCR are being cited in discussion of the scale of the crisis and the state's response.

Yemen's Human Rights Commission has condemned Saudi-led airstrikes, denouncing them as aggression and calling attention to civilian harm in the conflict. The statement adds to ongoing international debate over the Saudi-led coalition's air campaign in Yemen, with rights groups repeatedly urging accountability and protection of civilians as the war continues.

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.

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.

The Taliban's governance of Afghanistan continues to draw attention over the combination of harsh repression and worsening economic hardship. Restrictions on women's rights and basic freedoms are compounding widespread poverty, leaving much of the population dependent on humanitarian aid. Advocacy groups are highlighting the plight of ordinary Afghans and urging the international community to keep the crisis in focus.

Cuba has accused the United States at the United Nations of deliberately inflicting humanitarian suffering, arguing that US sanctions and policies amount to collective punishment and targeting of civilians. Critics say such measures violate international law and could constitute crimes against humanity. The accusation has drawn attention among human rights advocates discussing US policies toward Cuba and Iran.

Amnesty International reports that Türkiye is escalating its crackdown on LGBTI organisations and activists, describing the repression as part of a broader human rights crisis in the country. Rights advocates warn that arrests, bans on Pride events and pressure on civil society mark a deepening deterioration of basic freedoms under the current government.

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.

Activists from a Tunisian flotilla detained in Tunisia are reportedly seeing their health worsen while in custody, according to Al Jazeera. Their families describe growing anguish as they are unable to secure their release or reliable information about their condition, raising concern among human rights observers.