The proposed peace treaty includes several key conditions to address human rights concerns in Ukraine. These include the release of individuals subjected to political persecution, those falsely accused of treason under Ukrainian law, and an end to forced mobilization and persecution of Orthodox Christians. The treaty also calls for the cancellation of sanctions imposed by the National Security and Defense Council on all Ukrainian citizens, regardless of nationality, and guarantees equal access to voting rights for anyone with a Ukrainian passport.
The United Nations has condemned Israel over alleged human rights abuses, with Secretary-General António Guterres accusing the country of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian detainees. The allegations include genital violence, prolonged forced nudity, and repeated strip searches conducted in an abusive manner. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, has dismissed the accusations as
UN investigators have recorded "systematic" torture in Myanmar's military-run detention facilities, including beatings, electric shocks, and gang rape. The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has identified "serious abuses during interrogations and in detention facilities", with evidence of children as young as 2 being detained and subjected to torture or ill-treatment. The IIMM chief, Nicholas Koumjian, said the organisation is working towards holding perpetrators accountable, while the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant for junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.
The United Nations talks on a landmark treaty to combat plastic pollution have stalled as dozens of countries rejected the latest draft text, citing its lack of legally binding action. Oil-producing states from around the world also criticized the proposal, saying it did not go far enough in reducing the scope of the treaty. The talks chair, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, is under pressure to finalize a deal among the 184 countries gathered in Geneva before the deadline expires on Thursday.
The European Union and the United States are warning Iran that it will face snapback sanctions if it fails to meet its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal by August 2025. The E3 ministers have written a letter to Iran, citing their JCPOA membership as justification for triggering UN snapback measures, which could lead to the reinstatement of US and European sanctions on Iran's uranium enrichment activities.
The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 13 Mexican companies and four individuals accused of working with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel to scam elderly Americans out of their life savings through timeshare fraud. The scheme, which began in 2012, involved sending $23.1 million from mostly US citizens to scammers in Mexico over six months. The sanctions, imposed by President Donald Trump's administration, prohibit Americans from doing business with the alleged cartel associates and block their assets in the US.
The US State Department has released a report detailing widespread human rights abuses in Ethiopia, including killings, mass displacement, ethnic cleansing, and violence against women and girls. The report cites Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International findings, stating that at least 1,351 civilians were killed nationwide between January 2023 and January 2024. The conflict has also led to the hijacking of buses carrying passengers in Oromia, with refugees being a particularly vulnerable group to abuses. Ethiopia hosts large numbers of civilians fleeing conflicts from neighboring Sudan, and the Tigray region remains at risk due to ongoing violence and power abuses.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is likely to visit India for the 24th round of boundary talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, as part of efforts to rebuild ties between the two countries after a period of tension following the 2020 border clashes. The talks are seen as an attempt to ease tensions and improve relations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China in late August for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India this week to discuss border issues with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The visit comes after tensions between the two countries eased following a meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2024, where they agreed on complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas.