rights group

At least 35 people were killed in Darfur, Sudan, when a drone attacked a gathering at a courthouse. A rights group has blamed the Sudanese army for the strike, which hit a crowd assembled at the judicial building. The incident adds to the heavy civilian toll of Sudan's ongoing war and has drawn international condemnation.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's Canadian investment summit included investors from the United Arab Emirates, drawing criticism because the UAE has been accused of providing weapons, logistics, training and foreign personnel to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces. Human rights groups have linked the RSF to widespread atrocities in Sudan's civil war, and critics are questioning why Ottawa gave the country a seat at the table.

The Trump administration has argued in a court filing that media access to the White House is a 'privilege' rather than a right, defending its ban on outlets including CNN, Politico and MS NOW from certain press access. The filing, reported by the New York Times, is part of an ongoing legal fight over the administration's exclusion of critical news organizations, which press freedom groups say raises First Amendment concerns.

Israeli settlers carried out widespread attacks across the occupied West Bank, torching Palestinian homes in what has been described as a wave of coordinated violence. The raids add to months of rising settler aggression in the territory, forcing families from their homes and drawing condemnation from Palestinian officials and rights groups amid heightened tensions in the region.

Amnesty International has accused the Malian armed forces and the Russian Wagner Group of committing war crimes in Mali. The rights group says both have been responsible for serious abuses against civilians during the country's conflict with armed groups. The allegation adds to mounting international criticism of Mali's military government and its reliance on Wagner mercenaries, raising pressure for independent investigations.

The Trump administration has proposed a new White House rule that would bar the use of federal grant money for voter registration drives, including programs that help disabled Americans register and vote. Critics, including ProPublica's reporting, frame the measure as part of a broader effort by the administration to restrict voting access, and it is drawing attention ahead of upcoming elections.

Malaysia has started sending back migrants to Myanmar, despite the country's ongoing civil war and objections from rights groups and critics who warn returnees may face serious danger. The move has drawn criticism from humanitarian organisations who argue that conditions in Myanmar are not safe for returns, placing Malaysia's immigration policy under scrutiny.

Iraq is facing renewed criticism over the deterioration of women's rights, with observers pointing to a rollback of protections and opportunities for women in the country. The issue is being raised by human rights organisations, who warn that hard-won gains for Iraqi women are being eroded. The specific legal or political measures behind this claimed regression remain unspecified in current reporting.

Amnesty International reports that a human rights defender in Tunisia faces the risk of being arrested again. The organization is warning that authorities may re-detain the individual, drawing attention to the shrinking space for activism in the country. The alert has prompted concern among rights groups watching the government's treatment of critics and civil society figures.

A government critic in the United Arab Emirates has now spent a full year in detention without release, according to Human Rights Watch. The rights group is calling attention to the case, arguing the continued detention reflects broader restrictions on free expression in the country and urging Emirati authorities to release the individual and respect freedom of speech.

The UN human rights chief has condemned a deadly airstrike in Myanmar and called on Malaysia to stop deporting people back to the country. The intervention links two ongoing concerns: civilian casualties from Myanmar's military air campaign and the treatment of Myanmar nationals facing removal from Malaysia. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that returns to Myanmar could expose deportees to serious harm.