Legislative and local elections held in Burundi on June 5 unfolded in an environment of restricted civic freedoms and an effectively dismantled political opposition, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Thursday. The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) said the ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy–Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD–FDD), won [...]
The European Commission (EC) announced on Wednesday that it is adopting a landmark policy framework aimed at “protecting marine life and strengthening the blue economy,” pledging an investment of 1 billion euros to support the initiative. The European Ocean Pact is the first of its kind, aiming to establish a comprehensive, unified framework for EU [...]
The UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement on Wednesday urged Belgium to tackle the issue of ongoing systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent. Experts in the independent organization stated that systemic racism continues to torment Africans and people of African descent in the form [...]
The Sport & Rights Alliance on Wednesday called on the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to take immediate action to safeguard human rights ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. With the tournament set to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the Alliance warned that rising threats to civil liberties, [...]
The European Commission (EC) unveiled its 18th sanctions package against Russia in a press conference on Tuesday, targeting exports, revenue streams, and lowering the price cap on Russian oil. The EU said this package serves to increase pressure on Russia in light of its ongoing war with Ukraine. At the press conference, EU Foreign Policy [...]
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday denounced the recent attack on Colombian congressman and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay, calling it an assault on the very pillars of democracy. HRW Americas director Juanita Goebertus stated: “The attack against Miguel Uribe Turbay is a chilling reminder of the darkest chapters of political violence in Colombia.” She added: [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Tuesday ruled that the Trump administration’s tariffs may remain in place while it reviews a lower court decision that had blocked them. The original lower court decision, a slip opinion from the US Court of International Trade, held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act [...]
A Moscow military court on Tuesday sentenced an ex-policeman to 14 years of imprisonment and a fine of 250,000 rubles (approximately $3,000) for alleged anti-war graffiti and communications with Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL). Konstantin Podoshvelev was arrested February 2024 under the charges of vandalism and damage of religious objects for allegedly writing “Polytech is [...]
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged world leaders to curb practices harming the world’s oceans during the opening of the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3). The Secretary-General called for the adoption of alternative policies to promote the sustainable use of marine resources and proliferation of these policies through international treaties. Over 50 state officials attended [...]
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released its annual “State of the World Population” report Tuesday, revealing how social and economic barriers affect global fertility decline. The report, titled “The Real Fertility Crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world,” collected research from 14 countries that together represent over a third of the [...]
