Russia has borne the heavier toll, with 1.4 million troops killed or wounded since it invaded in February 2022. A funeral for a Ukrainian soldier in Kyiv last year. Ukrainian forces have suffered 525,000 to 625,000 casualties, the study said. Nicole Tung for the New York Times July 1st 2026 More than two million Russian and Ukrainian troops have been killed or wounded in the four years that Russia has been waging war against its neighbor, according to a new study, a bleak milestone as Russia’s assault grinds on. The study, published on Wednesday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said Russia has borne the heavier toll, with 1.4 million troops killed or wounded since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Of that total, 450,000 were killed, a number that is four times greater than U.S. fatalities in all wars combined since World War II. Ukrainian forces have suffered 525,000 to 625,000 casualties, including 125,000 to 150,000 deaths, the study said. Officials cautioned that casualty figures have been difficult to estimate throughout the war because Moscow is believed to routinely undercount its war dead and injured, and Ukraine does not disclose its official figures. The study relied on casualty figures from American and British government estimates, among other sources. But the figures are a grim accounting of Russia’s slow progress in Ukraine, with Russian troops proceeding in some places at fewer than 165 feet a day. In February, Ukraine gained more ground than it lost for the first month since 2023 as it went on the offensive in the south, the analysts said. “Russia’s territorial control in Ukraine shrank in the spring of 2026,” the study said. “Russian forces lost more ground than they captured in both April and May, a net loss of roughly 400 square kilometers and their first monthly net losses since August 2024 — yet another sign of Russia’s military struggles.” Ukraine received a small assist in February when Elon Musk unexpectedly blocked Russian troops from using his satellite internet service, Starlink. That gave Ukrainian forces a brief reprieve from drone assaults and more ease of movement, analysts said. A Ukrainian soldier in the besieged eastern city of Kostiantynivka early this year. Credit:Tyler Hicks/The New York Times The Russians outnumber Ukrainians on the battlefield almost three to one, and Russia has a larger population from which to replenish its ranks. So even though the study puts the number of Ukrainian troops lost at a smaller amount, Ukraine is losing a larger share of its smaller army. More than 400,000 Russians are believed to be facing about 250,000 Ukrainians on the front line, military analysts say. Russia has maintained its troop levels despite the high casualties by carrying out its first draft since World War II and by enlisting felons and debtors, among other tactics. President Vladimir V. Putin has paid bounties to new recruits and has pressed people accused of crimes to enlist in exchange for dismissing charges. In addition, in 2024 and 2025 North Korea sent more than 10,000 soldiers to help Russia take back its western Kursk region, where Ukraine had captured territory. The study said that in 2026, Russia’s monthly casualty rates of 30,000 to 34,000 probably exceeded its recruitment rates of about 27,000 new recruits per month. The report comes as President Trump has largely disengaged from the war in Ukraine. At a summit in France last month, Mr. Trump made clear that the conflict, which he once said he could end in 24 hours, was not among his priorities. The Russians outnumber Ukrainians on the battlefield almost three to one, and Russia has a larger population from which to replenish its ranks. So even though the study puts the number of Ukrainian troops lost at a smaller amount, Ukraine is losing a larger share of its smaller army. More than 400,000 Russians are believed to be facing about 250,000 Ukrainians on the front line, military analysts say. Russia has maintained its troop levels despite the high casualties by carrying out its first draft since World War II and by enlisting felons and debtors, among other tactics. President Vladimir V. Putin has paid bounties to new recruits and has pressed people accused of crimes to enlist in exchange for dismissing charges. In addition, in 2024 and 2025 North Korea sent more than 10,000 soldiers to help Russia take back its western Kursk region, where Ukraine had captured territory. The study said that in 2026, Russia’s monthly casualty rates of 30,000 to 34,000 probably exceeded its recruitment rates of about 27,000 new recruits per month. The report comes as President Trump has largely disengaged from the war in Ukraine. At a summit in France last month, Mr. Trump made clear that the conflict, which he once said he could end in 24 hours, was not among his priorities. A residential building in Moscow damaged by a Ukrainian drone strike in May. Credit: Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times The study noted that Ukraine has taken more of the war to Russia through the use of drones and missiles and an increasingly effective air campaign. Last month, Ukraine launched its biggest drone assault on Moscow since the start of the war. And this week, Ukraine launched more drone attacks, including on the capital and in Crimea, the peninsula Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Overall, Russia shot down 419 drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. “Russia is facing, by far, its darkest period of the war since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine,” said Seth G. Jones, one of the authors of the study. “The war has come home to everyday Russians, who are paying the price of President Putin’s war with a sputtering economy, skyrocketing prices, a growing number of body bags coming back from the front lines and drone strikes in Russian cities.” © 2026 The New York Times Company

A Soviet military monument is dismantled in Riga in August 2022. (Ints Kalinis, Reuters) Latvia Country Report June 2026 By Vladimir Kovtun Latvia has a long history of foreign rule, most notably under the Russian Empire (1721-1918) and the Soviet Union (1940-1991). This longstanding sociopolitical connection with Russia has created serious animosity between Russians and Latvians, primarily because of Russia’s Russification policy and Soviet era repression of dissidents. Latvia’s history during World War II (WWII) continues to affect the country today. During the war, about 140,000 Latvians joined the Latvian Legion, an SS unit that fought against the Soviet Union. However, due to Latvia’s collective memory of the Soviet Union, many Latvians have recontextualized legionnaires as national heroes. Many Latvian narratives emphasize that members joined to fight for an independent Latvia and claim, despite being an official SS unit, the legionnaires had no part in the Third Reich’s campaign of extermination against the Jews. This selective denial of Latvian involvement in the Shoah reconstructs and minimizes Latvia’s WWII history. To this day, many Latvians annually commemorate the Latvian Legion on March 16th during the Remembrance Day of the Latvian Legionnaires celebration, which focuses on recognizing the Legion’s resistance to the Soviet Union. Latvia does not celebrate the day as an official government holiday, but it grants participants much more freedom than most other European countries provide to Nazi-sympathetic rallies. Upon gaining independence from the Soviet Union, Latvia’s government prioritized revitalizing Latvian culture and asserting Latvia’s independence from Russia’s influence. Latvia established a policy denying automatic citizenship to those whose families moved to Latvia while it was a part of the Soviet Union, requiring them to take a language and loyalty test. This mainly affected the country’s sizable Russian minority, which makes up 23% of Latvia’s population. Some of these non-citizens adopted Russian citizenship, and in the wake of the outbreak of the 2022 Ukraine War, Latvia has decided to deport those Russian citizens who did not pass a Latvian language exam. Additionally, the Latvian government moved to end Russian language education. Latvia reformed its citizenship policy in 2019, providing automatic citizenship to the children of resident non-citizens. However, Latvia’s policies on resident non-citizens continue to run counter to the spirit of the Framework Convention for the Protection of Human Rights, which legally compels European Union (EU) member states to guarantee full rights and freedoms to their minority communities. Russia has been exploiting Latvia’s history and citizenship policy for its own propaganda aims. Russia has claimed that Latvia is aggressively imposing a Nazi cult and uses Latvia’s citizenship policy to allege the country is committing a campaign of discrimination against Russians. Russia’s own information campaign is reminiscent of its campaign before the war in Ukraine, and it is not rooted in fact. Beyond issues concerning Latvia’s Russian minority, in October 2025, the country’s Parliament voted to withdraw from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, which provides international protection for victims of domestic violence. Latvia’s opposition and parts of its ruling coalition that voted on the measures cited the Convention’s promotion of “radical feminism based on the ideology of gender”. Though Latvia’s President sent the bill back to the Parliament, effectively stopping the measure, the vote marked a concerning setback for women’s rights in the country. Due to the country’s barriers to citizenship for certain members of its population, Genocide Watch considers Latvia to be at Stage 1: Classification. For its denial of Latvian involvement in the Shoah, Latvia is also at Stage 10: Denial. Genocide Watch recommends: The Latvian Government should provide automatic Latvian citizenship to all residents born on the territory of Latvia. Latvia’s government should reinstitute Russian language education as an option for Latvia’s Russian-speaking minority. The Latvian government should place a stronger emphasis on the Shoah in the country’s education, including explicit instruction on the crimes committed by Latvian collaborators.

An international coalition of human rights lawyers has sued Ghana, accusing the government of violating deportees' rights under a deal with the Trump administration Ghana's President John Mahama speaks during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, October 14 2025. File Photo: Ichiro Banno, Pool Via AP ACCRA, Ghana -- An international coalition of human rights lawyers and advocates sued Ghana on Tuesday, accusing the government of forcing deportees from the U.S. back to the home countries they had fled in violation of their rights. It’s the latest legal case targeting an African country over a deal it signed with the Trump administration to accept deportees who aren’t its own citizens. The lawsuit was filed at a regional court, the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States. The coalition includes the Global Strategic Litigation Council, a network of lawyers and advocates. It’s the first case ever brought under a 1979 regional treaty that guarantees free movement across West Africa. The case represents 27 people among the at least 60 the U.S. has deported to Ghana since September 2025 as part of an agreement between the governments. Ghana agreed to take in deportees, hold them and arrange their onward removal, despite most of them having received orders of protection by U.S. judges against being deported to their home countries, according to a statement by the coalition. According to Tuesday’s statement, most of the 27 people were flown from Ghana to their home countries within hours or days of arriving, despite telling Ghanaian authorities about their U.S. protections. Some described being shackled during the flight from the U.S. Once in Ghana, they said they were held under armed guard in military camps, hotels and airport holding cells, often in poor conditions. The coalition accuses Ghana of violating non-refoulement, which is the international legal principle barring countries from sending people to places where they face persecution or torture. A spokesperson for Ghana's government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Ghana is one of at least nine African nations to strike third-country deportation deals with the U.S. Under the often-secret agreements, the Trump administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not their own, advocates say, as part of the U.S. crackdown on immigration. Immigration lawyers say the administration uses deportations to third countries as a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum-seekers back to their home countries. Medical evaluations cited in the new lawsuit found signs of post-traumatic stress and severe depression in several of the 27 people involved. The lawsuit asks the regional court to stop further transfers, force Ghana to release the deal’s terms, award damages and bar the country from making similar agreements in the future. Earlier this month, rights lawyers filed a case against Equatorial Guinea, another African country that signed a deal with the U.S., before Africa’s top human rights body, accusing the country of forcing deportees from the U.S. back to their home countries in violation of their rights. Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.

Fears of resurgence of HIV/Aids amid loss of access to PrEP drugs as at least 40 people arrested in ‘toxic’ climate Niger’s military leader, Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani, who seized power in 2023. File Photo: AP A “witch-hunt” is under way in Niger, where dozens of people have been arrested for homosexuality in the west African state following the introduction of a new penal code earlier this year. Up to 40 people have been arrested and 16 men, including high-ranking military officials, have been imprisoned across the country, according to local media. Organisations providing HIV services to men who have sex with men have had to stop working, according to a source who asked to remain anonymous. “With the recent witch-hunt, and these arrests that are taking place, the climate here is truly toxic,” they said. “LGBTQ+ populations are keeping a low profile and have gone into hiding because they are at risk. We have lost contact with many and the recent arrests have exacerbated tensions.” Niger’s new penal code, enacted in February, dictates that “indecent or unnatural acts” and “sexual relations with a person of the same sex” are punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 100m West African CFA francs (£130,000). It is the first time in the country’s history that homosexuality has been criminalised and follows the introduction of similar laws and penal codes in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso within the past two years. Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani, the head of the military government, seized power in a coup d’état in July 2023 and was sworn in as president in 2025 for a term of five years, dissolving all political parties in the country. The former UN peacekeeper has pushed anti-imperialist rhetoric and formed the Alliance of Sahel States with Burkina Faso and Mali, breaking away from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas). Senegalese men demonstrate in Dakar against LGBTQ+ rights. File Photo: AP Larissa Kojoué, a political scientist and pan-African activist, dismissed the idea of homosexuality being somehow linked to western culture. “Political leaders are using this to advance their own political agenda,” she said. “They claim ‘African values’, sovereignty and culture, all the while happily undermining human rights for people.” She added: “There is no culture that encourages violence against innocent people, or that doesn’t hold perpetrators of violence accountable. But on the [African] continent you can do whatever you want with LGBTQ+ people and get away with it.” The changes to the penal code started under Niger’s previous civilian president, Mohamed Bazoum. But in March 2025, Tchiani’s regime promulgated the Charter of the Refoundation to replace Niger’s 2010 constitution. Although the charter prohibits LGBTQ+ relations, criminal penalties related to these measures were only introduced with the new penal code in February. As well as harsh punishments for same-sex relations, it also mandates prison terms of up to 20 years for those participating in, witnessing or organising a gay marriage. Any person or organisation involved with clubs, societies or organisations for LGBTQ+ people, either directly or indirectly, is liable to be imprisoned for up to 20 years and face a fine of up to 500m CFA. Men who have sex with men no longer have access to condoms, testing services or PrEP (medication protecting against HIV). The anonymous source warned of the risk of HIV infections spreading, saying: “When people go into hiding, we won’t see them and they won’t be able to protect themselves. So you see the impact [this penal code] has. We are truly saddened by it.” Last week, Niger was among eight countries that voted against the UN’s political declaration on HIV/Aids, which was adopted by 149 votes. HIV infections increased between 2010 and 2025 in the Middle East, north Africa, Latin America, eastern Europe and Central Asia, according to the declaration. While western and central Africa has seen a 49% decline in new infections between 2010 and 2022, sub-Saharan Africa remains disproportionately affected, representing 64% of all people living with HIV globally. There were an estimated 32,000 new infections in Niger in 2023. The reform of Niger’s penal code is part of a trend across sub-Saharan Africa towards more punitive legislation against LGBTQ+ people. In recent years several African states have introduced or strengthened laws criminalising same-sex relations. Examples include Uganda’s 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, which made homosexual acts punishable by death; a new law in Senegal doubling the maximum prison term to 10 years for same-sex relations and criminalising the “promotion” of homosexuality; and a bill in Ghana criminalising groups promoting gay rights and identifying as LGBTQ+. Globally, half of the 66 countries that criminalise consensual same-sex acts are African. In a statement, the international human rights group Front Line Defenders said it was “deeply concerned” about developments in Niger, and called on authorities “to repeal all provisions that criminalise individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as the individuals supporting and defending them”.

By: Alexander Smith President Takes Part in Events on Ukraine's Constitution Day. Image: The Presidential Office of Ukraine. Photo. On the morning of February 24th, 2022, armed Russian soldiers crossed the border into Ukraine in what Russia called a “special military operation.” Explosions rocked Donetsk and Kharkiv. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly found himself bearing the brunt of overextended economic resources and fractured international support. As a result, some spectators and internal dissidents have begun to wonder if Ukrainian Democracy will survive the end of the war, citing expanded executive power, crackdowns on political opponents, and an indefinite pause on elections. But such worries overlook the deep context situating Ukraine and its history of civic engagement and budding statehood. Zelenskyy is as much a perpetuator of Ukrainian democratic tendency as he is a product of it. The Orange Revolution and Maidan Revolution both became the foundation of a strong civil society with a desire for democracy and the will to protect it. And while Zelenskyy's wartime rule has stagnated efforts to push Ukraine towards consolidated democracy, it’s unlikely that Ukraine and its people will allow Zelenskyy to drag them into authoritarianism during and after the war.

By Rhea Mogul June 23, 2026 Students clash with security forces during protests against the National Testing Agency over an alleged paper leak in New Delhi, India on May 13. Credit: CNN, Sanchit Khanna, Hindustan Times, Getty Images India’s youth have had enough. After years of exam scandals, persistently high unemployment, and opportunities slipping further out of reach, simmering frustration is boiling into open anger online and on the streets – and a demand for accountability that many say they can no longer ignore. For one Indian graduate of Boston University, watching from afar is not enough. Abhijeet Dipke, the 30-year-old founder of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party that has gone viral across India, arrived in New Delhi Saturday morning, determined to turn his generation’s wrath into action. He says he plans to lead a protest to the Jantar Mantar monument this weekend demanding the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Founder of India's satirical Cockroach Janta Party lands in New Delhi. Credit: CNN “My friends and family are scared that I could get arrested at the airport,” said Dipke in a post on Instagram earlier this week. “But how long can I fear jail? This country belongs not just to one party, but to all of us. This is a question of our future. Our future is getting ruined.” There was a large security presence Saturday morning at the airport, where Dipke was met by police and granted permission for his protest. Police detain activists from a youth organization during a protest outside the Ministry of Education in New Delhi on June 1. Credit: CNN, Sanchit Khanna, Hindustan Times, Getty Images Police detain members of the Students' Federation of India during a protest against the National Testing Agency after medical exam results were canceled over an alleged paper leak, in Chennai on May 14. Credit: CNN, R. Satish Babu, AFP, Getty Images The spark that has lit this particular Gen Z flame is India’s high-stakes university entrance exams: make-or-break tests that millions take in a bid for a limited number of seats. The system has long been mired in controversy, including exam paper leaks and technical failures, placing immense pressure on students, and a financial burden on families investing everything in their children for a promise that can often appear fragile. Veronica Madan, 24, has twice taken India’s notoriously competitive medical school entrance exam, a test that shapes the futures of hundreds of thousands of aspiring doctors each year. She says the pressure does not begin on exam day, but months — even years — in advance. “It comes from the feeling that we need to succeed at any cost, the fear of disappointing myself, the fear of disappointing my family,” she said. Madan spent two years preparing, but her scores ultimately fell short of securing a place at one of the country’s top medical colleges. “That was a very disheartening situation for me,” she said, explaining that she is now pursuing a master’s degree in forensic science. “But that rejection became my redirection.” CNN has contacted India’s Ministry of Education and the country’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a response. Job hopefuls gather during a mega job fair organized by India's Congress party at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi in June last year. Credit: CNN, Arun Kumar, The India Today Group, Getty Images Crippling unemployment The world’s most populous nation, India is home to 1.4 billion people. It also has one of the youngest populations in the world; there are more than 360 million people between the ages of 15 and 29 in the country, according to a recent report by Azim Premji University in Bengaluru. Better educated, digitally savvy, increasingly connected, and determined, the current young generation is redefining what ambition looks like in a rapidly changing society. Classrooms, startups, and digital platforms have become launchpads for upward mobility. Yet optimism is also tempered by stark realities. Unemployment among this group remains stubbornly high, according to the report. Nearly 40% of graduates aged 25 and under are unemployed, and about 20% of 20-29-year-olds are without a job, said the report, which identified the transition from education to unemployment as a “major challenge.” Inflation continues to bite, and a growing number feel overlooked by those in power. Enter the Cockroach Janta Party. Thanks to a blend of meme mastery and biting satire, it has amassed more than 22 million followers in a single week, capturing youth anger. AI-generated images of its virtual cockroach mascot quickly saturated social media, while also making their way onto news channels and into newspapers across the country. Now the party hopes to take its online frustration to the streets. The Cockroach Janta Party owes its existence to remarks made by Chief Justice Surya Kant, widely taken as calling the country’s unemployed youth “cockroaches.” He later clarified he was talking about people who entered certain professions using fake degrees, but the anger was felt by many. One of the party’s followers, Amrita Singh, said it’s the youth who actively participate in the “growth and development” of the country. “I’m very proud and happy that this type of political party has been formed in India,” she said. “They are raising the issues of the nation which should be corrected.” The judge’s cockroach comment also just happened to coincide with swirling anger over university exams. Just days before Kant’s remarks, more than 2 million students who sat for India’s largest medical entrance exam were told their results would be scrapped, after allegations emerged that the paper had been leaked. Exam-related leaks and controversies had been an issue long before the current government came to power, with students growing increasingly frustrated at them. “These leaks are deeply disappointing,” said the master’s student Madan. “We don’t want less competition, we want fair competition.” Protesters shout slogans as they vandalize a mural of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, demanding her resignation in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2024. Credit: CNN, Mohammad Ponir Hossain, Reuters Police march in front of pro-farmer activists during a rally against the central government's agricultural reforms, in Bangalore in 2021. Credit: CNN, Manjunath Kiran, AFP, Getty Images, File In recent years, South Asia has witnessed a surge of youth-led movements challenging perceived corruption and entrenched political patronage. In 2024, Bangladesh saw a student uprising swell into a mass movement involving tens of millions, ultimately toppling Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic government and forcing her into self-exile in neighboring India. A year later in Nepal, youth-driven activism once again reshaped the political landscape, bringing down the government and clearing the path for Balendra Shah, a rapper turned politician, to rise to power. India’s government, ruled by the BJP with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, has weathered a series of defining tests over the past decade. From the shock of demonetization to the year-long farmer’s protests and India’s devastating second Covid-19 wave that drew global attention, his administration has faced both policy backlash and sustained public scrutiny. Yet Modi’s political appeal has remained resilient. He has continued to secure electoral victories with commanding mandates, while the BJP has expanded its footprint, making notable inroads into historically resistant regions. The Cockroach Janta Party’s founder, Dipke, told the Associated Press that “five years ago, nobody was ready to speak up against Modi or the government,” but he says times are now “changing.” He has since appointed three official spokespeople – an investigative journalist, a filmmaker, and a former McKinsey employee – to speak on behalf of the party. “We are a youth political movement and our demand is this: there has to be accountability in the system,” said spokesperson and investigative journalist Sourav Das during a news conference on Wednesday. “The system has collected so much rot. The people have been very vocal.” Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokespeople Vijeta Dahiya, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka attend a news conference in New Delhi on June 3. Credit: CNN, Adnan Abidi, Reuters Das seemingly alluded to India’s declining position in the global press rankings and to Modi, who has not held a single solo press conference during his time in office. “You will have seen that we haven’t had a lot of press conferences in this country for several years now,” Das said. “We will also take questions.” Founder Dipke arrived on Saturday, marking the start of what he says will be a carefully orchestrated demonstration. Upon arrival, he and his supporters were granted permission to make their way to Jantar Mantar, the 18th-century monument long regarded as a hub for political demonstrations in the capital. “Our protest will remain peaceful. It will be conducted in a democratic manner,” Dipke said. “It’s time we restore accountability.” CNN’s Deepak Rao contributed to this report from New Delhi. © 2026 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.

By John Irish A man holds a flag during a protest by supporters of Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in Paris, France, February 8, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights PARIS, June 19 (Reuters) - French police banned the Paris-based NCRI ​Iranian opposition from holding a rally on Saturday, saying there was a risk of clashes between activists holding opposing views, ‌an argument the group described as "bogus". The sudden ruling came hours after a call between France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, where they discussed the latest developments to end the Iran war. France's foreign ministry rejected an allegation by the Iranian group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, that the ban was linked to the ​call. "This allegation is false. The (Iranian) minister did not mention this protest or request its cancellation," the ministry said in a statement sent ​to Reuters. The Paris police said it had made the decision in the light of a particularly tense national and ⁠international context. "There is a serious risk that clashes between activists holding opposing views could occur during this demonstration, likely to seriously disrupt public order," ​it said in the ruling seen by Reuters. Past rallies by the group have not resulted in clashes; its last demonstration in the French capital in ​February 2025 ended without incident. "After business hours on the evening of Thursday, June 18, the Paris Police Prefecture banned the planned demonstration of 100,000 people against the wave of political executions in Iran, scheduled for Saturday, June 20, citing bogus reasons," it said. Organisers had coordinated with police for two months and followed all the legal procedures, the statement ​said. A separate concert with several Israeli artists to be held on Sunday as part of the annual Paris music festival was given the go-ahead ​despite concerns that it could meet opposition from pro-Palestinian supporters, a French official said. The French police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. GROUP HAD FACED ‌BAN IN ⁠2023 The Paris-based NCRI, political arm of the People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran, has held frequent rallies in the French capital over the years. They have been attended by thousands of people, including high-profile former U.S., European and Arab officials critical of the Islamic Republic. It is unclear how much support it has in Iran, but along with its bitter rival, the monarchists backing Reza Pahlavi, exiled son of the toppled shah, it is one of the ​few opposition groups able to rally supporters. Tehran, ​which has banned the NCRI ⁠in Iran, has long called for a crackdown on its activities in Paris, Washington and the Saudi capital Riyadh. The group, whose sources of funding and support are unclear, is regularly lambasted by Iranian state media. NCRI said it ​was appealing the decision to ban its rally. In 2023, a court reversed an initial decision by the ​French capital's police to ⁠ban an NCRI rally. At the time the police had said the ban had been motivated by security concerns. That ban came just days after the release of an Iranian diplomat convicted of masterminding a plot to bomb the group in 2018 during a gathering on the outskirts of Paris. Speaking earlier on French TV, ⁠Barrot said ​Iran's population had been the biggest victims of the war and that the killing of ​Iranians during protests in January should not be forgotten. He said France was setting up a platform to allow artists in exile to fully express themselves, independent of any political considerations. "Iran is, ​above all, a great people, and we distinguish between the Iranian regime and Iran itself," he said. © 2026 Reuters. All rights reserved

Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander Rashid Kwame Nisawu told the AFP news agency that crews had rescued more than 400 people. A person wades through floodwaters, in Accra, Ghana, in this still image taken from a video, June 29, 2026 File Photo: Reuters TV via Reuters Dozens of people have died after floods and landslides triggered by days of torrential rain hit capital cities in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. According to a spokesperson for Ghana’s National Fire Service, at least 12 people were confirmed dead on Tuesday after the heavy rainfall began a day earlier. “The number could increase because several people are still missing,” Alex King Nartey told local media. Torrential rains submerged homes and roads across Ghana’s capital city Accra on Monday, prompting hundreds of rescue efforts as teams worked throughout the night. Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander Rashid Kwame Nisawu told the AFP news agency that crews had rescued more than 400 people on Tuesday, pumping water from homes and assisting stranded residents. People wade through floodwaters, in Accra, Ghana, in this still image taken from a video, June 29, 2026. File Photo: Reuters TV via Reuters Still, Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organisation said on Monday that emergency calls began early in the morning as residents realised floodwaters were entering their homes. “The whole place was flooded. It’s alarming,” said Mariam Dongyela Millah, deputy director of communications at the disaster agency. In the Ivory Coast, rainfall began on Saturday, with the heavy downpour also causing casualties. While the country’s authorities did not provide a death toll, a source close to firefighters and the interior minister told the Reuters news agency that the death toll was about 20. Poor management Ghanaian Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak acknowledged on Monday that the government’s response to the heavy rainfall could have been better, after the main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party, criticised the government’s efforts. “We are really very sorry for the loss of life,” he said in a television interview. In response to the deadly weather pattern, President John Mahama said in a post on X that, according to preliminary data, “approximately 140 millimetres of rain fell on Accra. By comparison, the highest single-day rainfall recorded last year was about 56 millimetres”. “That aspect of the problem is beyond our control because it is driven by changing climatic conditions,” he said, adding that “human behaviour” was also an issue, pledging to crack down on illegal structures blocking waterways. Still, Ghana’s Meteorological Agency urged locals in Accra to prepare for more rain this week.

UNAMA Press Release 29 June 2026 Credit: United Nations Kabul - UNAMA has confirmed that at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 injured in airstrikes carried out in Paktya, Paktika and Kunar provinces in Afghanistan on the evening of Sunday 28 June. Women and children are among the victims. These figures are preliminary and may increase as hospitals continue to treat the injured. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed Pakistani security forces had conducted strikes in the three provinces. On Sunday evening, at around 11: 30 pm local time, in Paktya province, Chamkani district, an airstrike killed at least 22 civilians and injured at least 47 others. At around the same time, in Paktika province, Gyan district, a further airstrike killed six civilians; a third airstrike, in Kunar province, Marawara district, injured two children. UNAMA is continuing its verification work on these incidents. UNAMA reiterates its call for respect for the international humanitarian law principles of precaution, distinction and proportionality to protect civilians from harm. Copyright © United Nations. All rights reserved.

By Human Rights Watch June 23, 2026 Exposure to Extreme Temperatures, Health Risks, Death Construction workers in Doha, Qatar, November 16, 2022. Credit: Human Rights Watch, © 2022 ddp images via AP Photo (Beirut) – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are exposing migrant workers to yet another deadly summer without adequate occupational health and safety protections as temperatures soar to dangerous levels, Human Rights Watch said today. Migrant workers, particularly outdoor workers, are left to fend for themselves as they balance the pressures of extreme heat and physically taxing work, and relentless demands from their employers. The “heat [is] so intense that it is beyond the endurance of an ordinary person,” one worker said. “Despite a wealth of evidence on both global temperature increases and the severe health risks extreme heat exposure poses, Gulf states are dragging their feet on adopting adequate protections,” said Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Gulf states have the means and capacity to adopt these protections, including restricting working hours based on actual temperature thresholds rather than fixed schedules.” Between February and May 2026, Human Rights Watch spoke to 20 migrant workers from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan working in construction and app-based bike delivery about heat and occupational health and safety issues in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. This is the fourth consecutive year that Human Rights Watch has interviewed outdoor workers to better understand extreme heat risks. June marks the start of the enforcement period of midday work bans in several Gulf states, their sole heat exposure protection measure, which prohibits outdoor work during certain hours in summer months. These bans generally apply from June through August or September and restrict outdoor work between late morning and mid-afternoon. However, there is growing scientific evidence on the limitations of calendar- and time-based bans to shield workers from heat-related health risks. A UAE-based road construction worker described the heat as “unbearable” and recalled working outdoors when temperatures reached 48 degrees Celsius (118.4 degrees Fahrenheit). “During summer, it becomes difficult to work by 7:30 or 8:00 a.m., but we have to work until 11:30 a.m. no matter what. That is the most difficult time.” He said migrant workers in Gulf states have to mentally prepare themselves for the upcoming summer, thinking, “How will we get through this year?” Exposure to extreme heat can cause fatal heat stroke, exacerbate pre-existing conditions, impair cognitive function, and increase the risk of workplace injuries. It can also cause lasting health harm, including kidney failure, and even premature death. A UAE-based worker said, “Sometimes we hear news that someone in another company collapsed from the heat and died. When we hear that, we get goose bumps. We think, ‘Maybe tomorrow it will be our turn. We are also working in the same heat.’” The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report establishes that heat extremes have increased across the Arabian Peninsula, with human-induced climate change having a contributing role. World Weather Attribution's 2024 study of the West Asian heat wave found that human-induced climate change made the event roughly five times more likely and about 1.7 degrees Celsius more intense than it would have been in a world without fossil-fuel warming. According to a rapid World Weather Attribution study, climate change is making the Hajj pilgrimage for Muslims to Mecca dangerously hot earlier in the year compared to the past, with temperatures that were confined to peak summer months June-August now occurring in May or even earlier. Human Rights Watch spoke to six app-based, or so-called platform, bike delivery workers who described a lack of cool or shaded rest areas, poor visibility under intense sunlight, heat distorting their vision, the overheating of devices required for their jobs, and direct health impacts such as sunburns and heat-related illness, including dizziness and fainting, as common. They also described pressures from platform companies, including time-sensitive deliveries and fear of losing income or losing their jobs, making it difficult to refuse orders even when conditions were unhealthy or unsafe. “If an order comes, you have to deliver it even if it is hot or rains,” said a UAE-based worker. Some pickup locations provided rest areas and cool water, some companies provided rest areas such as air-conditioned buses, and others were able to adjust their schedules to include cooler night hours. “During the very hot three months, in some places, every 15-20 kilometers, there were buses with AC arranged for rest for bike delivery riders,” one worker said. “Water was also available there. If the heat was too much, we could rest there … but those were only in limited places.” Some GCC countries, such as Kuwait and Qatar, have explicitly banned bike deliveries during summer midday ban hours. The UAE has mandated rest and cooling stations for bike delivery riders and announced the recent expansion of these rest areas. Gulf states should adopt evidence-based occupational heat protection measures, such as the widely used Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, which measures occupational heat stress based on air temperature and relative humidity. These measures should include evidence-based work-rest schedules guided by real-time WBGT thresholds and work intensity, as well as access to cool water and cool, shaded rest areas, to prevent heat-related illness and death among outdoor workers. Only Qatar, in 2021, has introduced the index with an upper WBGT threshold of 32.1 degrees Celsius (89.78 degrees Fahrenheit) to stop outdoor work, but the threshold is too high and enforcement gaps remain. “When we sweat a lot, the body becomes extremely weak,” one worker said. “But because of company pressure, we continue working. The mind says, ‘I can do it,’ but the body does not support us … Every season, someone collapses.” There are also significant variations in the occupational health and safety measures provided by private employers. “If anything happens at the site, medical facilities are available immediately,” one worker said. “On large sites, doctors are stationed. Good companies provide all facilities. In smaller companies, however, such facilities do not exist.” Another worker said, “Some sites provide cool water, others don’t. To stay hydrated, you need to use the toilets frequently. But many construction sites did not have proper toilet provisions.” A Qatar-based masonry helper said: “We would feel dizzy when working in the heat. We would rest for 5 to 10 minutes after which the foreman would again call us to work. If we laid down, he would immediately shout telling us to get up and work.” The rest area at his construction site did not have air conditioning or refrigeration for workers’ food. “Sometimes, the food would smell bad and we had to throw it away.” The lack of strong evidence-based policies to prevent dangerous heat exposure and inadequate oversight from authorities has turned heat protections into a game of chance, Human Rights Watch said, as workers’ health and safety in extreme temperatures often depends on the mercy of supervisors and employers. The recent Human Rights Watch report on platform work found that gig workers often face dangerous working conditions, including extreme heat, with little protection when they are injured or unable to work. A new International Labour Organisation treaty, adopted on June 12, sets labor standards for gig work and includes a section on occupational safety and health. It requires governments to take adequate preventive measures to prevent occupational accidents, occupational diseases, and other risks to gig workers’ health. Governments should promptly ratify the convention and implement it in domestic law, including measures to adequately address extreme heat risks, Human Rights Watch said. “Rising global temperatures are making existing extreme summer heat in the Gulf more dangerous, especially for the millions of migrant workers who work outdoors without adequate rest and hydration,” Page said. “Gulf states should guarantee safety and health protections to all workers.” © 2026 Human Rights Watch

By Fatma Khaled June 25, 2026 This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. Credit: AP Photo CAIRO (AP) — A Yemeni journalist was killed in a car bombing in southeastern Yemen and investigators have been ordered to search for the culprits, the government said Thursday. Mohamed Eida, a correspondent for the Saudi-backed television networks Al-Arabiya and Al- Hadath, was killed late Wednesday when an explosive device planted in his car detonated in the port city of Mukalla in Hadramout province, according to the broadcaster. The network said local authorities had warned him about a month ago that his life was at risk. Eida’s body has not been returned to his family, who were informed by authorities that it would be held pending the investigation, according to a relative who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. An investigation is launched The death and bombing were confirmed by Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the country’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council — the leadership body of Yemen’s internationally recognized government. He ordered local authorities to investigate, a council statement said. Al-Alimi gave no word about suspected perpetrators. But Al-Hadath reported that two suspects had been arrested and that authorities were pursuing a third. It cited unidentified sources. The attack is condemned The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate condemned the bombing as a “terrorist” attack, calling it a flagrant violation of press freedom, showing that the country remains unsafe for journalists. Allowing the culprits to escape justice would encourage more such attacks, threaten the safety of journalists and violate national and international laws guaranteeing freedom of expression, the group said. U.N. Special Envoy Hans Grundberg also condemned the killing in a statement Thursday, calling for the protection of media professionals and welcoming the “continued efforts to establish the facts, ensure accountability, and strengthen public confidence.” The victim had long been under pressure Eida previously had fled the capital, Sanaa, some years ago after being pursued by Houthi rebels who are the de facto authorities in that city, according to the journalists syndicate. He was working as a correspondent for the U.S.-funded broadcaster Alhurra at the time, the syndicate said. Al Arabiya reported that Eida was forced to leave Sanaa for Aden after armed men tried to arrest him. The broadcaster said the men also raided his home and stole his belongings, but it did not identify the armed men. Eida later joined the network in the city of Mukalla. Journalists face dangers in Yemen Yemen has been fractured by over a decade of civil war that began when Iran-backed Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates intervened later to try to restore the government to power. Over 30 journalists were reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes that targeted Houthis in Sanaa last September, as part of a series of attacks between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed group, which said it was targeting Israel in response to the war in the Gaza Strip. —— Associated Press writer Ahmed al-Haj in Aden, Yemen contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

By Reuters June 28, 2026 Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina attends the EU Global Gateway Forum 2023, in Brussels, Belgium October 25, 2023. Credit: Reuters/Johanna Geron DHAKA, June 29 (Reuters) - Ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to return to Bangladesh this year, brushing aside a death sentence handed down in absentia and denouncing the ruling as “illegal, ​unconstitutional and politically motivated.” Hasina, 78, who fled to India after a student-led uprising ‌ousted her government in August 2024, said in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV that she was undeterred by the risk and would overcome “every obstacle and every conspiracy” to return home. “I want to say clearly: ​overcoming every obstacle and every conspiracy, I will return to my country this ​year,” Hasina said when asked whether she would come back despite the death ⁠sentence. It was the first time she had given a time for her return. Last ​November, a Dhaka court sentenced Hasina to death after convicting her of inciting, ordering killings and ​failing to prevent atrocities during the 2024 unrest. Rejecting the verdict, she accused Bangladesh’s judiciary of being used as “an instrument of political revenge” aimed at eliminating her Awami League party’s leadership. “I do not fear death,” she ​said, adding that past efforts to dismantle her party had failed and would fail again. Hasina ​said her planned return was not driven by personal ambition but by what she described as a ‌broader mission ⁠to restore political rights, democracy, the rule of law and the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War. Defending her Awami League party, she said it remained deeply rooted in Bangladesh despite a ban on its activities. The restrictions, first imposed by the previous interim administration, remain in place ​under Prime Minister Tarique ​Rahman’s government, which took ⁠office after February elections. “The Awami League is not a paper organisation but a political force rooted in the soil of Bengal, in the ​people of Bengal, in the history of Bengal and in the ​identity of ⁠the Bengali nation,” Hasina said. She also urged the Tarique Rahman-led government to restore what she called a proper democratic environment by lifting the ban on her party, withdrawing what she described as ⁠false cases ​against its leaders, releasing political prisoners and allowing peaceful ​political activity. The government has defended the legal proceedings, saying they are part of efforts to ensure accountability for alleged ​crimes committed during the final months of Hasina's administration. © 2026 Reuters. All rights reserved