A deal between the US and China on TikTok that was finalized on January 22 concludes a years-long saga that put in peril the social media platform’s ability to function in the United States. US officials had long argued that TikTok, previously owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, posed national security risks. In particular, US [...]

UN human rights experts expressed concern Thursday over the repeated denial of adequate medical treatment for Yang Li, a Chinese human rights defender. In the statement, the experts warned: “The arrest and indictment of Yang Li appear to represent an effort by the authorities to prevent her from peacefully exercising her rights to seek redress for [...]

Armed men reportedly wearing police uniforms fired dozens of bullets at a Mozambican journalist’s vehicle, in what human rights groups are calling an assassination attempt aimed at silencing his reporting on illegal mining. Carlitos Candangue, a reporter for SOICO Television, was driving home with his son in Chimoio city on Tuesday evening when the attack [...]

The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Thursday announced drastic changes to the way federal employees are classified, making it easier for the president to fire public employees. The rule adds a new “excepted service” category, “Schedule Policy/Career,” which includes “career positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character.” Such positions might include [...]

The UN raised concerns on Thursday about catastrophic levels of child malnutrition in Sudan’s North Darfur state and Greater Kordofan region due to ongoing armed conflict, warning of a looming famine crisis across the country if immediate action is not taken. Based on a study conducted by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a [...]

The UN’s top human rights official on Thursday demanded that Burkina Faso end its clampdown on civic freedoms, including an announced ban on political parties. In his comments, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk emphasized that the government’s decision to prohibit political parties marks a serious setback for the freedoms of expression, association and political participation [...]

Amnesty International stated on Wednesday that a Tunisian appeals court upheld and in fact lengthened prison sentences for Ennahda party leaders in the “Conspiracy against State Security 2” case. Amnesty International emphasized that this verdict, which was handed down on Monday, demonstrates the continued use of the judiciary to crack down on the country’s political [...]

A UN expert expressed concern Thursday over what she called the failure of the UK government to enforce a critical ruling on sex-based protections. Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls Reem Alsalem commented on the government’s delayed adoption of the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Ltd v. Scottish Ministers. The decision aimed [...]

UN human rights experts on Wednesday decried Russia’s conviction of nine International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, calling the ruling a “flagrant violation of international law.” Following a trial held in absentia, the Moscow City Court on December 12, 2025, sentenced Prosecutor Karim Khan and eight ICC judges under the Russian Criminal Code for “unlawfully prosecuting [...]

UN Secretary General António Guterres addressed the fifth general assembly of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) on Wednesday, regarding the future of global artificial intelligence (AI) use. Guterres discussed ways to encourage innovation and advancement while maintaining thoughtful oversight and regulation of AI and other digital technologies. “At a time of geopolitical fragmentation, digital cooperation is [...]