Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is set to appear before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in a crucial pre-trial hearing next week, a milestone in the long-running international case alleging crimes against humanity linked to Duterte’s administration’s controversial “war on drugs.” The hearing, which will take place from February 23 to 27, has been called [...]

North Korea began the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea on February 20, 2026, signaling a tightening of control over youth and access to information. A key focus of the Party Congress was the current state of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s “five-point strategy for building the party in the new era,” [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ordered the National Park Service (NPS) to stop repairs to a contested educational exhibit about slavery in Philadelphia yesterday. NPS was ordered to maintain the status quo and preserve the displays that have not yet been returned, pending the outcome of an expected appeal by the [...]

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday released a report warning that the rapid expansion of cyber-enabled fraud compounds in Southeast Asia has resulted in widespread human rights abuses. The OHCHR described the phenomenon as a “wicked problem” requiring coordinated, human rights-based responses rather than enforcement-only crackdowns. According to [...]

Child trafficking by gangs in Haiti has intensified amid escalating violence and institutional collapse and has placed the country’s long-term stability in jeopardy, according to a report released on Friday by the UN’s human rights office. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) found that gangs are systematically recruiting, coercing, and [...]

The Taliban has quietly enacted a new penal code that allows husbands to physically punish their wives and children as long as it doesn’t cause broken bones or open wounds. The Rawadari human rights organization exposed the document, known as the “Criminal Procedure Code for Courts” (De Mahakumu Jazaai Osulnama) last month. This penal code, [...]

President Donald Trump announced a 10% global tariff after the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision Friday ruling against his tariff imposition under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Trump called the US Supreme Court’s decision “deeply disappointing” and said he was “ashamed” of some Supreme Court justices. He said the 10% global tariff will be [...]

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday signed into law an amnesty measure that authorities say is intended to ease political tensions and accelerate the release of political prisoners. The law, titled the Amnesty Bill for Democratic Coexistence, authorizes a “general and full” amnesty for people prosecuted or convicted for political or related offences. The [...]

UNICEF published a statement Thursday outlining their deep concerns with the detention of children in Iran amidst ongoing public unrest. The statement, by UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, stresses several key issues. First, the number and conditions of child detainees have not been available. Second, he details the [...]

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced Thursday that the province will hold a referendum on provincial immigration control and constitutional amendments in October 2026. The provincial referendum will ask Albertan voters nine questions. In terms of policy issues, voters will indicate their stances on increased provincial control over immigration to prioritize economic migration; limiting provincial social [...]