un rights chief

Commission Raps Haryana Authorities Over Unsafe School Premises and Inaccessible Land Allotment

A fragile Iran-US ceasefire is showing signs of collapse as Iran warns of renewed hostilities amid intensified Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Hezbollah retaliated, accusing Israel of breaching the truce, a stance Israel and the US argue falls outside the agreement's scope, jeopardizing upcoming peace talks.

A renewed call for prohibition in Kashmir has sparked a wider debate on morality, governance and livelihoods. As revenue, tourism and jobs hang in the balance, the politics around liquor turns sharply opportunistic.

A Delhi court has handed down life imprisonment to Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi for conspiring against the state. Her associates, Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen, received 30-year sentences. The court found they plotted Kashmir's secession from India, using speeches and social media to advocate for its merger with Pakistan and portray it as under illegal occupation.

Indonesian police are hunting for four people wanted for an acid attack that maimed an activist critical of the military's growing role in government, an official said Monday. Andrie has been a vocal critic of moves to increase the influence of the military in the Indonesian government and had just finished recording a podcast on the topic when he was attacked.

Women make up less than 17 percent of the paid water workforce globally — but in India's villages, they are already running the systems. This is the story of how grassroots networks and government schemes are turning water's biggest burden-bearers into its most effective managers.

As Middle East tensions escalate, Russia is quietly positioning itself to benefit from the ensuing chaos. While global powers focus on the conflict, Moscow is leveraging diplomacy and energy markets to expand its influence. The crisis has boosted Russia's energy revenues and shifted international attention away from Ukraine, creating a strategic advantage for Moscow.

Amnesty International decried Thursday the "woefully inadequate" international response after the UN released a bombshell report last year detailing a litany of abuses in China's Xinjiang province. Amnesty lamented that the international community, including parts of the United Nations, had "shied away from the kind of resolute steps needed to advance justice, truth and reparation for victims".

United Nations rights chief Volker Turk, driven by Austria's anti-semitic history, advocates for refugee protection and condemns hate speech in Europe. His stance highlights the critical role of political leaders in promoting tolerance and preventing discriminatory behavior.

"Human rights are under assault," said UN chief Antonio Guterres launching a "call to action" on Monday, highlighting the persecution of minorities and "alarming levels of femicide". Pointing to swelling divisions and political polarisation, he said, "Fears are growing.." and "perverse political arithmetic has taken hold: divide people to multiply votes."

UN human rights chief warns of heightened risk of atrocity crimes in Gaza. Urges parties to refrain from violations. Humanitarian situation described as apocalyptic. Urgent measures needed to prevent crimes. Israeli troops and Hamas militants engaged in fierce ground combat. Bombardment forces population to flee to overcrowded areas in southern Gaza. Displaced Palestinians face unsanitary and unhealthy conditions. Humanitarian aid virtually cut off, increasing fears of disease and hunger. Dehumanizing and inciteful statements by Israeli officials and Hamas figures may be viewed as incitement to crimes.

un rights chief Volker Turk warned that the world needs to change its current path to avoid a future filled with military escalation, repression, disinformation, inequality, and climate change. Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, he urged voters to focus on human rights issues in elections and be cautious of simplistic solutions.

The un rights chief voiced deep concern Monday over the United States' "fundamental shift" in direction since Donald Trump returned to power, and decried the "unchecked power" of "unelected tech oligarchs". Without mentioning Musk by name, Turk on Monday voiced concern over the growing influence wielded by "a handful of unelected tech oligarchs", who have people's data.

The un rights chief called on Mali Friday to immediately repeal a decree dissolving political parties and to "fully restore political rights in the country". Turk called on "the transitional authorities to release those who have been arrested on politically motivated grounds and to fully restore political rights in the country".