(2026-01-21). Sudan: Call on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to release journalist Muammar Ibrahim. fidh.org The undersigned organisations, including FIDH and OMCT within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, journalists, express serious concern regarding the detention of Sudanese journalist Muammar Ibrahim by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Mr Ibrahim has been held since 26 October 2025, following his detention in El-Fasher, North Darfur.
According to available information, RSF detained Muammar Ibrahim while he was attempting to leave El-Fasher amid (…) | – |
(2026-01-21). South Sudan After the Pilgrimage: When Moral Attention Isn't Enough. counterpunch.org 
Nearly two years after Pope Francis's unprecedented ecumenical pilgrimage to South Sudan, the country is once again sliding towards violence, underscoring the futility of moral attention without political follow-through. The February 2023 visit, undertaken alongside the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Iain
(2026-01-21). Australia: Bipartisan deal exploits Bondi shootings to impose expanded "hate crime" laws. wsws.org The Labor government's bill allows for the outlawing of political groups and imprisonment of their supporters on the false basis that opposition to the ongoing Gaza genocide constitutes antisemitic hatred of Jews.
(2026-01-21). Arab rights group urges UK to sanction Netanyahu over "incitement to genocide" in Gaza. radiohc.cu An Arab human rights group has called on the United Kingdom to impose targeted sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over "incitement to violence and genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. | The request was submitted on Tuesday to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) by British law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn on behalf of the Arab Organization for Human Rights UK (AOHR UK), calling for financial and travel restrictions against Netanyahu. | The submission cites Netanyahu's statements rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state and employing "rel…
(2026-01-21). Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza is Distraction, not Solution. ummid.com Gaza does not suffer from a deficit of ideas, administrators, or plans. It suffers from occupation, siege, apartheid, and genocide.
(2026-01-21). Jeremy Rose: Mexico the revolution isn't being televised. asiapacificreport.nz Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's support for resettling Palestinian children orphaned by Israel's genocide in Gaza barely rates a mention, reports Towards Democracy. COMMENTARY: By Jeremy Rose At the beginning of last month, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stood in front of an estimated 600,000 supporters in Zócalo Square and reflected on the achievements of her first…
(2026-01-21). 'We kill enemies' spy firm Palantir secures top Australian security clearance. asiapacificreport.nz 
SPECIAL REPORT: By Stephanie Tran US cybersecurity company Palantir has received a high-level Australian government security assessment despite concerns about its surveillance and complicity in the Gaza genocide in occupied Palestine. In November 2025, Palantir Technologies was assessed as meeting the protected level under the Australian Information Security Registered Assessors Programme (IRAP). This protection…
(2026-01-21). Myanmar: Arbitrary detention and torture of student leader Htet Myat Aung. fidh.org
(2026-01-21). UK approves plans for Chinese mega-embassy. tribune.com.pk 
The UK government on Tuesday gave China the green light to build a "mega-embassy" in the heart of London eight years after Beijing bought the site, triggering fresh anger from residents and rights groups. | The 20,000-square-metre (235,000-square-foot) site is set to become the largest embassy complex in the UK by area, and one of the largest in the centre of a Western capital. | But it could still face legal challenges and residents vowed Tuesday to act. | Housing minister Steve Reed's decision to grant planning permission came after several delays over national security concerns. | There have also been prote…
(2026-01-21). Chile's president-elect picks Pinochet lawyers as ministers of human rights, defence. scmp.com Chile's right-wing president-elect Jose Antonio Kast on Tuesday named two ex-lawyers of former dictator Augusto Pinochet to lead the ministries of defence and human rights when he takes office in March. | Kast will be sworn in on March 11 as the first far-right head of state in Chile since the exit of Pinochet, whose brutal regime left deep scars on the South American nation.
(2026-01-21). Wednesday 1/21: Save Our Votes: SCOTUS, the Attack on Voting Rights & Erosion of Our Democracy w/ CC. indybay.org Virtual event – Join from anywhere | Register: www.mobilize.us/commoncause/event/885477……
(2026-01-21). Chinese official condemns 'Taiwan independence' threat to mainland spouses. ecns.cn A spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday condemned actions by "Taiwan independence" forces that infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of mainland spouses in Taiwan.
(2026-01-21). Detroit Solidarity With Minneapolis January 23, 2026: Strike and Fight for Immigrant Rights! No Work. No School.NoShopping. wibailoutpeople.org 
(2026-01-21). Hurriyat leader demands global accountability. tribune.com.pk 
As Kashmir marks another sombre anniversary of the Gaw Kadal massacre, senior Hurriyat leader Altaf Ahmed Bhat has renewed demands for international accountability, calling for an independent global investigation into grave human rights violations and war crimes committed by Indian forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). | In a statement issued from Islamabad on the eve of the massacre's anniversary, the Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement and senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference paid solemn tribute to the martyrs of Gaw Kadal, who were killed on January…
(2026-01-21). United States withdrawal from international organisations endangers women's rights. fidh.org
(2026-01-21). Uganda: Arbitrary detention of Dr. Sarah Bireete ahead of general elections. fidh.org
(2026-01-21). Sri Lanka's new "anti-terror laws" foreshadow sweeping attacks on democratic rights. wsws.org Colombo's draft legislation reproduces all the essential features of the existing draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act.
(2026-01-21). A high-level legal expert for the Business, Human Rights and Environment Desk to follow the United Nations negotiations of a Legally Binding Instrument to regulate transnational corporations and other business enterprises. fidh.org The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) is an NGO that brings together nearly 200 civil society organisations around the world. Founded in 1922, it is committed to defending fundamental freedoms and the universality of the rights defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Independent of any government and recognised for its expertise, FIDH works to strengthen mechanisms for the protection of human rights and defenders through advocacy campaigns, investigations into (…) | – |
(2026-01-21). A programme coordinator of the programme : "global initiative against impunity for international crimes and serious human rights violations: making justice work" full-time fixed contract (18 months). fidh.org The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) is an NGO that brings together nearly 200 civil society organisations around the world. Founded in 1922, it is committed to defending fundamental freedoms and the universality of the rights defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Independent of any government and recognised for its expertise, FIDH works to strengthen mechanisms for the protection of human rights and defenders through advocacy campaigns, investigations into (…) | – |
(2026-01-21). Video: Israeli man sparks outrage for kicking stray cat. albawaba.com ALBAWABA – A video circulating on X (formerly Twitter) recently sparked outrage among animal rights activists after capturing an Israeli man kicking stray cats in public. Many social media users called for the arrest of the individuals responsible, accusing them of animal abuse. One video showed a man calling the stray cat, gently petting it, then standing up to kick it, in the Susya settlement in the West Bank on January 18.Caution: Disturbing footage below: Video: Israeli man sparks outrage for kicking stray cat: An Israeli settler was filmed kicking a cat for fun on January 18 in the illegal settlement o…
(2026-01-21). Why the pro-Israel right is suddenly committed to human rights — for Iranians, not Palestinians. haaretz.com It's a tale of hypocrisy and expediency: The global institution of universal human rights has been reduced to Mideast political point-scoring. But instead of attacking pro-Palestine progressives, the pro-Israel right needs to do some soul-searching of its own…
(2026-01-21). IHC grants two-day protective bail to Imaan Mazari, husband. tribune.com.pk 
The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday granted two-day protective bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, and barred authorities from arresting the couple during this period. | Justice Azam Khan directed Mazari and Chattha to approach the relevant trial court within two days and ordered them to submit bail bonds of Rs100,000 each. | The couple had spent Tuesday night at the Islamabad High Court Bar president's office after arrest warrants were issued against them in connection with a newly surfaced FIR. | They sought refuge at the office of Islamabad High Court Bar A…
(2026-01-21). Gaza: Severe winter conditions compound humanitarian crisis for displaced Palestinians. icrc.org
(2026-01-21). Heavy rains claim 38 lives in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. sanews.gov.za Heavy rains claim 38 lives in Limpopo and Mpumalanga | The death toll from recent heavy rains and flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga has risen to 38, with the number of deaths reported in Limpopo increasing from 17 to 18, while six people remain missing in the province. | Giving an update on the recent disasters in Limpopo and Mpumalanga during a media briefing on Wednesday, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane announced that Mpumalanga has recorded 20 fatalities linked to the severe weather which has caused widespread damage to homes and displaced hundreds of families across the two provinces. | "Once agai…
(2026-01-21). Israel's Ben Gvir leads demolition of UNRWA headquarters in Jerusalem. radiohc.cu Israeli forces on Tuesday demolished the headquarters of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem. | Led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Israeli forces raided the compound at around 7 am local time and raised Israeli flags over the main building. "[This is] a historic day for sovereignty in Jerusalem," the minister said. | "Today, these terror supporters are being kicked out along with everything they built. This is what will be done to every terror supporter," he said. | Ben Gvir was accompanied by far-right deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Aryeh King. "God w…
(2026-01-21). From the Battle of Okinawa to the New Cold War. peoplesdispatch.org We descended into Chibichibi Cave in southern Okinawa with the heavy feeling that this was not a site of distant history, but a warning. The cave is low enough that you have to bend forward as you walk. The air is damp, the light disappears quickly, and the air becomes suffocatingly warm. In April 1945, as US forces landed on the island, 140 Okinawan civilians (mostly elders, women, and children) hid here. Eighty-five of them would die by their own hands. Parents killed their children first, then themselves. | This was not an act of collective madness, nor a cultural predisposition to suicide. What happened here…
(2026-01-21). Support grows for general strike in Minneapolis, as Trump escalates ICE terror campaign. wsws.org On Tuesday, protests continued across the city, with growing support for a general strike on Friday, January 23, to force the removal of Trump's paramilitary forces.
(2026-01-21). US forces seize a seventh Venezuela-linked oil tanker. aljazeera.com US has moved to assert strict control over production and sale of Venezuelan oil since attacking the country this month.
(2026-01-21). Erdogan, Trump discuss Syria ceasefire and Gaza in phone call. tribune.com.pk 
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed developments in Syria and Gaza in a call with US President Donald Trump, his office said on Wednesday, as Syria's Turkey-backed government announced a ceasefire with US-allied Kurdish forces after days of clashes. | Syria's government this week seized swathes of territory in the northeast and gave the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces four days to agree on integrating into the central state. | The SDF's main ally, the United States, said in a statement that the partnership with the group had changed in nature after Syria's new government emerged and urged the group…
(2026-01-21). Forced evacuations in South Gaza as Israeli military expands control over land. radiohc.cu Israeli forces have ordered dozens of Palestinian families in southern Gaza to evacuate their homes as the regime's military expands the area under its control — in a clear and flagrant violation of the so-called "peace deal" brokered by the wheeler-dealer himself: U.S. President Donald Trump. | Residents of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis, said Israeli forces dropped leaflets warning families in tent encampments in the al-Reqeb neighborhood to leave immediately. | "Urgent message. The area is under Israeli military control. You must evacuate immediately," read the notice. | Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of…
(2026-01-21). Israel begins demolitions at UNRWA HQ. tribune.com.pk 
Israeli bulldozers began demolitions at the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem on Tuesday, in what the organisation called an "unprecedented attack". | UNRWA spokesman Jonathan Fowler said in a statement to AFP that Israeli forces "stormed into" the compound shortly after 7: 00 am and ejected security guards before bulldozers arrived and began demolishing buildings. | "This is an unprecedented attack against UNRWA and its premises. And it also constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations," Fowler said. | "What…
(2026-01-21). The Zweibràºcken scandal: Right-wing extremism in the armed forces and the return of German militarism. wsws.org The latest right-wing extremism scandal in the German army is not an isolated case, but the expression of a deeply rooted development that has taken on a new quality with the return of German militarism and the preparation for war against Russia.
(2026-01-21). China calls for international efforts to prevent Japan from reverting to path of militarism. ecns.cn Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, speaks during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, U.S., January 15, 2026."The Tribunal systematically adjudicated and exposed the crimes of Japanese militarism in planning, preparing for, and invading China and other Asian nations, as well as in launching the Pacific War," Sun said.
(2026-01-21). Portugal cracks down on far-right. tribune.com.pk 
Portuguese police said on Tuesday they had detained dozens of suspected members of a group that spread neo-Nazi propaganda and committed hate crimes against immigrants. | The 37 suspects had "extensive criminal records and links to international groups that promote hate", the judicial police said in a statement, adding that 15 people had been formally charged. | The victims were mostly immigrants from Muslim-majority countries in South Asia, according to local media. | The arrival of workers from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, has boosted Portugal's foreign-born population in recent years to around 15 per cen…
(2026-01-21). Egypt: Cairo hosts the 13th Regional Meeting for Arab National Committees on International Humanitarian Law. icrc.org
(2026-01-21). Central African Republic: Humanitarian situation remains alarming in south-east of the country. icrc.org
(2026-01-21). "The Scent of Fraud:" The Door Opens for a New Corporate Assault on Honduras. counterpunch.org 
While the Trump administration is bombing boats and murdering civilians in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean — and has now illegally invaded Venezuela and kidnapped its president and first lady over unsubstantiated allegations of narcoterrorism — its interference in the recent Honduran elections is inciting a return to narcopolitics. In the few days prior to
(2026-01-21). Raúl recibió al Ministro del Interior de la Federación de Rusia. radiohc.cu 
El General de Ejército Raúl Castro Ruz recibió este martes al Ministro del Interior de la Federación de Rusia, General de la Policía Vladimir Alexandrovich Kolokoltsev. Foto tomada de @PresidenciaCuba | En el encuentro intercambiaron sobre las excelentes relaciones bilaterales entre la Federación de Rusia y la República de Cuba y la permanente voluntad de fortalecerlas. En este contexto, el General de Ejército trasladó afectuosos saludos al Presidente Vladimir Putin. Foto tomada de @PresidenciaCuba | Participaron además del distinguido visitante, Víctor Koronelli, embajador de Rusia en Cuba, y otros miembros de l…
(2026-01-21). New Zealand PM promises deeper austerity and military build-up. wsws.org After promising greater military spending, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed support for US imperialism's criminal attack on Venezuela.
(2026-01-21). Cambodia-Thailand: ICRC supports release and repatriation of 18 prisoners of war. icrc.org
(2026-01-21). (Statement) International call to strengthen antifascist and anti-imperialist action. links.org.au 
Over 230 prominent individuals from across all continents have signed an international appeal calling for intensified anti-fascist and anti-imperialist action and supporting the International Antifascist and Anti-imperialist Conference to be held in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
(2026-01-21). Meta's AI expands real-time lip-synced translation for Reels. tribune.com.pk 
Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has expanded its AI capabilities in a move designed to make short-form video content accessible across language barriers. | They have rolled out enhanced AI-powered translations and lip-syncing for Reels, its short video format, supporting a wider range of languages, including Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Kannada alongside previously available English, Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish. | According to the blog post, the update uses neural machine translation models as well as on-device and cloud-based AI models to generate dubbed audio and real-time captions,…
(2026-01-21). Meet Trump's man in Greenland. responsiblestatecraft.org In March of last year, when public outrage prevented Second Lady Usha Vance from attending a dogsled race in Greenland, Thomas Dans took it personally. "As a sponsor and supporter of this event I encouraged and invited the Second Lady and other senior Administration officials to attend this monumental race," Dans
(2026-01-21). ICE in Minnesota — Days 47-50: DOJ Probes State Leaders, ICE Continues Illegal Detainments, Unions Call for General Strike. unicornriot.ninja 
(2026-01-21). KZN Treasury commits to support eMadlangeni bid for municipal reclassification. sanews.gov.za KZN Treasury commits to support eMadlangeni bid for municipal reclassification | KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has committed to working with the eMadlangeni Local Municipality (ELM) to review its proposal for reclassification from an urban municipality to a rural one. | The move is aimed at strengthening its case for increased equitable share funding from National Treasury. | Rodgers made the commitment during a meeting with an ELM delegation led by Mayor Mzwakhe Buthelezi at the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury offices in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, 20 January 2025. | The MEC was accompanied by senior offici…
(2026-01-21). Jamaat-e-Islami gains ground in Bangladesh ahead of February polls. tribune.com.pk 
Long vilified for opposing independence and barred from electoral politics for over a decade, Bangladesh's biggest religio-political party is reinventing itself and attracting new support ahead of parliamentary polls next month, unsettling moderates and minority communities. | Jamaat-e-Islami began its overhaul soon after a youth-led uprising in the Muslim-majority nation of 175 million people toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. With Hasina's Awami League banned, Jamaat is betting on its anti-corruption image, welfare outreach, and what analysts describe as a more inclusive public stance to de…
(2026-01-21). Government intensifies work to review scholar transport. sanews.gov.za Government intensifies work to review scholar transport | Government is working on reviewing legislation governing scholar transport with a view to make the sector safer and more secure for learners. | This according to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi who held a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon in the wake of a horrific accident which claimed the lives of 12 children on Monday. | The taxi transporting the children were in crashed into an oncoming truck while they were on their way to school. | "An incident of this magnitude calls for a review of some of our legislation, regulations and the support system in thi…
(2026-01-21). IMF upgrades China's growth forecast to 4.5%. ecns.cn The International Monetary Fund has raised its 2026 growth projection for China to 4.5 percent, up by 0.3 percentage point from its October forecast, primarily due to a combination of eased trade tensions and sustained domestic policy support, according to the organization's World Economic Outlook update released on Monday.
(2026-01-21). Shinzo Abe assassination: Japan court sentences man to life imprisonment for killing ex-Prime Minister. ptcnews.tv PTC News Desk: A Japanese court on Wednesday sentenced the man to life imprisonment for shooting dead former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a rare act of gun violence. The court verdict has put an end t | Shinzo Abe assassination: Japan court sentences man to life imprisonment for killing ex-Prime Minister…
(2026-01-21). Protesting the Unprecedented Lethal State Violence against Protests by the Islamic Republic of Iran. juancole.com — | Letter to government of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding its violent response to the protests in the country: | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
| Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran | Your Excel…