https://www.scmp.com/rss/324446/feed Latest news, features and analysis on human rights, with a focus on civil liberties in Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran on Saturday executed two men convicted of membership in a banned opposition group and carrying out disruptive actions aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic, the judiciary said. The executions were the latest in a series targeting members of the banned People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK), after four other convicted members of the group were put to death earlier in the week. They also come against the backdrop of Iran’s war with the United States and Israel, sparked by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349026/rights-groups-raise-alarm-after-iran-executes-2-more-opposition-group-members?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349026/rights-groups-raise-alarm-after-iran-executes-2-more-opposition-group-members?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 06:31:17 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The compound is modern with air conditioning in every room. Inside are a medical clinic, massage parlour, and Vietnamese barbecue, Chinese hotpot and halal eateries – a full range of conveniences. Yet the residents are gone – and they appear to have fled in haste. Clothes still hang out to dry, while the stench of rotting food lingers. Located in a secluded area in Kampot province near Cambodia’s border with Vietnam, the site is believed to be a telecoms scam centre. Cambodian authorities said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348930/game-whack-mole-how-could-scam-industry-bring-china-and-us-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348930/game-whack-mole-how-could-scam-industry-bring-china-and-us-together?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia has given the family of missing pastor Raymond Koh access to a long-classified government report after dropping a legal challenge, but questions remain unanswered over his case, according to rights groups and lawyers. The situation surrounding Koh has revived memories of other Malaysians who are believed to be victims of enforced disappearances in the country. Koh has not been seen after the then 62-year-old was abducted in broad daylight in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on February 13,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348987/malaysia-drops-appeal-abducted-activists-case-family-still-seeks-answers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348987/malaysia-drops-appeal-abducted-activists-case-family-still-seeks-answers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:41:39 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof An Indonesian woman who spent nearly 15 years on death row in a Malaysian prison for drug trafficking has returned home after receiving clemency, in a case rights groups say highlights the exploitation of poor migrant women in cross-border drug operations. Ani Anggraeni, also known as Asih, boarded a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta late on Thursday after being freed from custody. In a video message shared with This Week in Asia while en route, the 66-year-old said she was still struggling to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348886/indonesian-grandmother-freed-malaysian-death-row-returns-home-feels-unreal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348886/indonesian-grandmother-freed-malaysian-death-row-returns-home-feels-unreal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:49:18 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan After avoiding much of the churn, firings and senior official turnover that marked his first term, US President Donald Trump on Thursday added to the string of high-profile departures in recent days, as bad news heaped more pressure on the White House. The administration announced that US Attorney General Pam Bondi was leaving to be replaced by her deputy, Todd Blanche, in an acting capacity. “We love Pam,” Trump wrote on social media. “She will be transitioning to a much-needed and important... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:20:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Violence by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has reached unprecedented levels since the start of the war with Iran, with NGOs and opposition figures denouncing an environment of impunity. While so-called “Jewish terrorism” has drawn widespread condemnation both in Israel and abroad, little has been done to curb it. Assaults by violent settlers against Palestinians have been carried out for years, often to the indifference of mainstream Israeli... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348798/surging-jewish-terrorism-west-bank-condemned-goes-unpunished?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348798/surging-jewish-terrorism-west-bank-condemned-goes-unpunished?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:45:00 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin China has emerged as a focal point in the debate over US birthright citizenship, as the nation’s Supreme Court appeared sceptical of oral arguments on Wednesday in a landmark case driven by President Donald Trump’s push to restrict the practice. Birthright citizenship “has spawned a sprawling industry of birth tourism”, said Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Trump’s top litigator, in his opening remarks before the highest court in the country. “Uncounted thousands of foreigners from potentially... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348722/china-targeted-birthright-citizenship-debate-supreme-court-justices-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348722/china-targeted-birthright-citizenship-debate-supreme-court-justices-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:21:48 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The Myanmar junta’s attempts to place its top man in the country’s highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a “constitutional repackaging of continued military rule”. On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military in the 2021 coup and has headed the junta since then, resigned from the armed forces, moving one step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmar’s parliament had cleared the way for his nomination. He handed over the role of commander-in-chief of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348662/why-myanmar-top-generals-exit-window-dressing-cement-military-rule?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:05:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A federal judge has revoked the US citizenship of a naturalised married couple from China after their 2021 convictions for stealing sensitive medical trade secrets and sharing them with China, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) announced on Tuesday. On March 30, federal Judge James E. Simmons Jr. of California’s Southern District ordered the denaturalisation of Li Chen and Yu Zhou, ruling their crimes showed a lack of the “good moral character” required for American citizenship. Chen and Zhou... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348592/couple-convicted-stealing-trade-secrets-china-loses-us-citizenship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348592/couple-convicted-stealing-trade-secrets-china-loses-us-citizenship?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:58:41 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari As a child, Saraswati Nepali was not allowed to drink from the same water jar as her classmates. When she was thirsty, she had to walk the 20 minutes home and back: the cost of being born a Dalit in a society that deemed her “untouchable”. Now, Nepal’s new government says it is finally ready to acknowledge that injustice. Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s administration announced on Sunday that the state would, for the first time, offer a formal apology to the Dalit community. It also pledged to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348535/nepal-apologise-untouchable-dalits-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348535/nepal-apologise-untouchable-dalits-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin The US Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday on birthright citizenship, with Chinese nationals at the centre of disputed claims of abuse amplified by US President Donald Trump’s immigration campaign. “Birthright Citizenship is not about rich people from China, and the rest of the World, who want their children, and hundreds of thousands more, FOR PAY, to ridiculously become citizens of the United States of America. It is about the BABIES OF SLAVES!” Trump wrote on social media on... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348460/born-usa-china-targeted-americas-birthright-citizenship-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348460/born-usa-china-targeted-americas-birthright-citizenship-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 21:55:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Israeli military has suspended a battalion whose soldiers assaulted a CNN crew in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in a rare case of punishment for soldier misconduct. The army announced on Monday it was suspending the Netzah Yehuda battalion after soldiers were filmed assaulting the CNN crew last week. Netzah Yehuda is a unit of ultra-Orthodox soldiers that has been linked to abuses of Palestinian civilians in the past, including the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian American man after his... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348440/israel-suspends-military-unit-assaulted-cnn-crew-west-bank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348440/israel-suspends-military-unit-assaulted-cnn-crew-west-bank?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:41:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Myanmar cleared the way on Monday for coup-leading General Min Aung Hlaing to become president and maintain his rule in civilian garb, with lawmakers nominating him as a vice-presidential candidate and the junta replacing him as military commander. Min Aung Hlaing has ruled Myanmar since 2021 when he ordered a coup toppling the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi – detaining the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, dissolving her party and triggering civil war. After five years of hardline rule, he... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348416/myanmar-paves-way-junta-chief-be-civilian-president-ruling-iron-fist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348416/myanmar-paves-way-junta-chief-be-civilian-president-ruling-iron-fist?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:23:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Gunmen killed at least a dozen people in Jos, the capital of Nigeria’s restive Plateau state, sparking retaliation from a mob that killed 10 more, locals said on Monday. Plateau state, in central Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, experiences recurring violence in the countryside, mostly linked to land disputes between farmers and herders. Jos has seen bouts of sectarian violence in the past, but deadly, mass casualty attacks in the crowded city have been rare in recent years. At least 12 people were... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3348391/mob-retaliates-after-gunmen-kill-12-nigeria-bar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3348391/mob-retaliates-after-gunmen-kill-12-nigeria-bar?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 08:43:35 +0000 Agencies Agencies Four European countries have called on Israel to abandon a bill seeking to revive the death penalty for people convicted of acts of terrorism, a measure opponents say would target only Palestinians. In a joint statement on Sunday ahead of an anticipated final vote in the Knesset on Monday, foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom expressed their “deep concern” about the bill. “The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:26:50 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Israeli police prevented Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate mass on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday for the first time in centuries, the Latin Patriarchate said on Sunday. Jerusalem’s major holy sites, including the church, are closed because of the continuing war in Iran, as the city has come under frequent fire from Iranian missiles. The Catholic Church called the police decision “a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348322/israeli-police-prevent-catholic-leaders-celebrating-palm-sunday-mass-jerusalem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348322/israeli-police-prevent-catholic-leaders-celebrating-palm-sunday-mass-jerusalem?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:43:39 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham After eight years in the deep freeze, the European Parliament is sending an official delegation to China next week in the clearest sign yet that Beijing’s targeted lobbying blitz of its members is paying off. Seven members from the parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will travel to Beijing and Shanghai alongside Engin Eroglu, head of its China delegation. They will meet officials, customs and port authorities, lawmakers and companies, including Shein and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:55:21 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A 25-year-old woman who has been paraplegic since a failed suicide attempt underwent euthanasia in Spain on Thursday, after her father lost a lengthy legal battle to stop the procedure, Spanish media reported. Her case was the first to reach a Spanish court for consideration since Spain became one of the few countries to legalise euthanasia in 2021, a law fiercely opposed by the Catholic Church. The woman, identified as Noelia, died shortly after 6pm at a hospital in Sant Pere de Ribes in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348057/spanish-woman-noelia-25-undergoes-euthanasia-after-winning-legal-battle-father?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348057/spanish-woman-noelia-25-undergoes-euthanasia-after-winning-legal-battle-father?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:02:42 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari A high-level inquiry in Nepal has held former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and other senior government officials responsible for criminal negligence over the shootings in last year’s deadly youth uprising that killed 76 people, as the leak of the crucial report to a local publication triggered criticisms due to its sensitive nature. The committee, led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, has recommended investigation and prosecution of Oli, his home minister Ramesh Lekhak, and former Inspector... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348012/nepals-probe-deadly-uprising-finds-ex-prime-minister-officials-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348012/nepals-probe-deadly-uprising-finds-ex-prime-minister-officials-reckless?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The UN General Assembly on Wednesday designated the transatlantic African slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity”, despite opposition by the United States and some European countries. In a move advocates hailed as a step towards healing and possible reparations, the resolution was adopted to applause by a vote of 123 in favour, three against and 52 abstentions. The US, Israel and Argentina opposed the measure, while Britain and EU member states abstained. Ghana’s President John... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347954/un-designates-african-slave-trade-gravest-crime-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347954/un-designates-african-slave-trade-gravest-crime-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:37:55 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United States on Wednesday offered ⁠a reward of up to US$3 million and possible relocation in exchange for information on the financial activities of Haiti’s Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif criminal groups. Washington has designated both groups, which bring together hundreds of gangs in the capital Port-au-Prince, agricultural Artibonite ‌region and central Haiti, as terrorist organisations. The US announcement marks a shift in tactics as previous bounties have been focused on individual gang... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3347917/us-offers-us3-million-bounty-information-finances-powerful-haiti-gangs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3347917/us-offers-us3-million-bounty-information-finances-powerful-haiti-gangs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:14:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British police said on Wednesday they had arrested two men over a London arson attack on four volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organisation. The arrests came after police said they were investigating an online claim of responsibility by a little-known Islamist group which has possible links to Iran. The ambulances were set on fire early Monday while they were parked next to a synagogue in an area of London with a large Jewish population. The Metropolitan Police said two men aged 47 and 45... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347868/uk-police-arrest-2-men-over-jewish-ambulances-arson-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347868/uk-police-arrest-2-men-over-jewish-ambulances-arson-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:40:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The first boat of a flotilla carrying medical supplies, food and solar panels reached Cuba on Tuesday to aid the island as a US fuel blockade deepens its energy crisis. The Maguro shrimp fishing boat docked in Havana three days later than hoped after battling strong winds, currents and a pesky battery during its journey from Mexico. As they approached Havana’s colonial-era fortification, the international activists stood on the cabin roof of the boat - symbolically renamed “Granma 2.0” as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3347810/humanitarian-aid-boat-arrives-cuba-amid-us-blockade-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3347810/humanitarian-aid-boat-arrives-cuba-amid-us-blockade-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:27:07 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A state-sponsored forced labour programme that has escalated in recent years generates up to US$500 million annually for North Korea, according to a report by a global rights group. The report also warns that workers are trapped in “brutal” conditions where they are subjected to “control, abuse and coercion”. Published on Wednesday by Global Rights Compliance – an international human rights foundation – the report contains first-hand testimonies from North Koreans exploited in the programme and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347778/rights-group-exposes-north-koreas-forced-labour-scheme-reaps-us500-million-annually?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347778/rights-group-exposes-north-koreas-forced-labour-scheme-reaps-us500-million-annually?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:03:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Afghanistan’s Taliban government announced the release of a US national on Tuesday who had been detained for more than a year, after a letter from his family requesting his freedom. The foreign ministry said the family of linguist and researcher Dennis Coyle had written to the supreme leader of Afghanistan, asking that he be released and pardoned for the Muslim holiday Eid. “The Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate deemed his period of detention sufficient and decided on his release,” a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347754/afghanistan-releases-detained-us-citizen-after-more-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347754/afghanistan-releases-detained-us-citizen-after-more-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:57:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters A federal judge on Monday blocked US President Donald Trump’s administration from enforcing a new policy that would subject thousands of refugees to arrest and detention if after a year in the United States they had yet to obtain green ‌cards. US District Judge Richard Stearns in Boston acted at the request of six refugees and two advocacy groups who argued the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) policy was an unlawful departure from decades of practice. The plaintiffs alleged the policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347643/us-district-judge-blocks-trump-administration-detaining-thousands-refugees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347643/us-district-judge-blocks-trump-administration-detaining-thousands-refugees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:40:38 +0000 dpa dpa Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Berlin on Sunday to protest against online sexual violence and express solidarity with victims, amid heightened attention after a German celebrity came forward with allegations against a former partner. A newly formed group named Feminist Fight Club! called for protesters to assemble at the Brandenburg Gate amid a controversy over pornographic deepfakes in Germany. People held banners that read “Human rights online too” and “Turn the shame... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347509/thousands-rally-berlin-against-online-sexual-violence-pornographic-deepfakes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347509/thousands-rally-berlin-against-online-sexual-violence-pornographic-deepfakes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 18:34:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hundreds of Syrians protested in central Damascus on Sunday against new restrictions on alcohol sales, reflecting wider fears that the Islamist authorities may tighten curbs on personal freedoms. The Syrian capital last week banned the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants and bars, only allowing shops in three Christian neighbourhoods to sell bottles. In one of them, Bab Tuma, demonstrators gathered in a silent protest following calls by civil society groups to condemn what they say... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347508/syrians-protest-against-alcohol-sale-limits-personal-freedom-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347508/syrians-protest-against-alcohol-sale-limits-personal-freedom-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 17:10:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Slovenia’s incumbent liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob claimed victory in parliamentary elections on Sunday, as results put his party just slightly ahead of the conservatives. Golob took over from Donald Trump admirer Janez Jansa as a political newcomer in 2022, leading a three-party centre-left coalition in the country of 2 million people. The race was expected to be tight, and foreign interference claims shook the campaign, with authorities probing whether an Israeli company was behind... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347477/slovenians-vote-race-between-pro-trump-nationalist-and-liberal-incumbent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347477/slovenians-vote-race-between-pro-trump-nationalist-and-liberal-incumbent?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:25:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A strike on a healthcare facility in Sudan has killed 64 people and wounded 89 more, the World Health Organization reported on Saturday. The deceased included 13 children, WHO Director-General ‌Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media. The UN’s humanitarian office in Sudan had earlier said it was “appalled by the attack on a hospital in East Darfur yesterday, reportedly killing dozens, including children, and injuring more”. Sudanese rights group the Emergency Lawyers, who document... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347452/64-killed-including-13-children-attack-sudan-hospital-who-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347452/64-killed-including-13-children-attack-sudan-hospital-who-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 23:03:27 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A 19-year-old star wrestler and two other young men were hanged in Iran this week, raising alarm among rights groups that a wave of executions may be under way as authorities facing relentless attacks from the US and Israel seek to squelch public dissent. The three men are the first to be executed from among the tens of thousands who were arrested during a January crackdown on nationwide protests. Rights groups say more than 100 others could face death sentences. The wrestler, Saleh Mohammadi,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347426/iran-hangs-3-young-men-rights-groups-raise-alarm-multiple-executions-could-follow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347426/iran-hangs-3-young-men-rights-groups-raise-alarm-multiple-executions-could-follow?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:40:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters A 31-year-old Georgia woman has been charged with murder after she took abortion medication and gave birth to a premature infant who died within hours, according to court documents and arrest records. Alexia Moore was arrested, charged and jailed by local police earlier this month ‌in coastal Camden County, Georgia, near the Florida border over the episode on December 30. Nearly all abortions in Georgia are illegal after six weeks of pregnancy. Since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3347404/us-woman-charged-murder-after-taking-abortion-pill-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3347404/us-woman-charged-murder-after-taking-abortion-pill-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:15:04 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Growing disinformation in the Philippines and distrust in authorities could have led to a sharp drop in public support, particularly among Gen Z Filipinos, for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs. Only 32 per cent of Filipino respondents of different age groups approved the ICC’s move to prosecute Duterte in April last year, a month after he was arrested and flown to The Hague, according to a survey by WR... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:30:30 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The first two months of 2026 saw a record number of migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, despite fewer crossing attempts towards Europe, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). At least 655 people died or went missing in January and February - more than double the 287 recorded for the same period last year. NGOs and researchers said the reasons were multiple: storms, complications for rescue operations and border closures. Frontex, the EU’s border control... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347136/hundreds-die-crossing-mediterranean-2026-already-smashes-records?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347136/hundreds-die-crossing-mediterranean-2026-already-smashes-records?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:07:11 +0000 Agencies Agencies Sweden’s foreign minister on Wednesday said that Iran had executed a Swedish citizen, after Iranian authorities announced the first execution of a man convicted of spying since the start of its war against Israel and the United States. “It is with dismay that I have received information that a Swedish citizen was executed in Iran earlier today,” Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said in a statement. Since the man’s arrest during in June 2025, Sweden had “repeatedly raised the case at... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347042/iran-announces-first-spy-execution-war-israel-us-began?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347042/iran-announces-first-spy-execution-war-israel-us-began?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:16:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Lawmakers in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday rejected legislation that would have made Scotland the first part of the United Kingdom to allow terminally ill adults to end their lives. Members of the Edinburgh-based legislature voted 69 to 57 against a bill that would have let people in Scotland with six months or less to live seek help to end their life. There was one abstention. It came after an emotional debate that lasted around three hours and saw lawmakers tear up and applaud as they... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346944/scottish-lawmakers-reject-bill-let-terminally-ill-people-end-their-lives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346944/scottish-lawmakers-reject-bill-let-terminally-ill-people-end-their-lives?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:03:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A US federal appeal court allowed the Trump administration on Monday to temporarily resume summarily deporting undocumented migrants to countries that are not their own. The US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, in a 2-1 vote, lifted a block on the so-called third-country deportations that had been imposed by a lower court. District Judge Brian Murphy ruled last month that third-country deportations were unlawful but put his ruling on hold to allow the government time to file an appeal. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346805/trump-administration-can-resume-third-country-deportations-appeal-court-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346805/trump-administration-can-resume-third-country-deportations-appeal-court-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 19:35:10 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele The arrest of a 17-year-old stateless teenager during a school outing to buy Eid clothes at a Sabah mall for allegedly failing to show valid residence papers, has returned scrutiny to Malaysia’s treatment of undocumented people. Niko Ansboy, a student at Borneo Komrad, an alternative school for stateless children, was waiting outside a store during a school trip to the 1Borneo Hypermall when police detained him on Sunday. He was stopped by officers patrolling after the Kota Kinabalu District... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346779/arrest-stateless-teen-malaysia-highlights-plight-sabahs-1-million-non-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346779/arrest-stateless-teen-malaysia-highlights-plight-sabahs-1-million-non-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:49:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Afghan immigrant who previously worked with the US military in Afghanistan and later sought asylum in the United States died this weekend in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody less than 24 hours after ‌being detained in Texas, a US veteran-led advocacy group said on Sunday. Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, who was living in a Dallas suburb with his wife and six children while his asylum case remained pending, was arrested by federal agents outside his flat on Friday morning while... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346691/afghan-asylum-seeker-dies-ice-custody-us-advocacy-group-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346691/afghan-asylum-seeker-dies-ice-custody-us-advocacy-group-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:27:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hundreds of people turned out in London on Sunday for a pro-Palestinian march banned by the government after police said it was organised by a group “supportive of the Iranian regime”. Police said in a statement they had arrested 12 people and were investigating anti-Israeli chants allegedly made at the rally. Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said earlier this week she had agreed to the ban to “prevent serious public disorder” in the context of the continuing conflict in the Middle East, where... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346690/police-arrest-12-hundreds-join-banned-pro-palestinian-march-london?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346690/police-arrest-12-hundreds-join-banned-pro-palestinian-march-london?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 19:43:29 +0000 Agencies Agencies Gaza’s ⁠main gateway, ⁠the Rafah crossing with Egypt that was closed at the start of ‌the Iran war, will open on Wednesday for limited movement of people in both directions, Israel’s COGAT, the ⁠military body in charge of humanitarian ‌matters, said on Sunday. The crossing had reopened ‌in early February after being largely ⁠shut ⁠since May 2024, in the ‌early months of Israel’s war against Hamas ‌in ‌Gaza. Its reopening offered ‌some relief to Palestinians who ⁠want to leave Gaza for ⁠medical... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346689/gazas-rafah-crossing-open-wednesday-limited-movement-people-israel-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346689/gazas-rafah-crossing-open-wednesday-limited-movement-people-israel-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:49:00 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Fatima Nazha slept on the street for two days after she and her family fled their home in Beirut’s southern suburbs following an Israeli mass evacuation order. All of the schools the government turned into shelters were full, and the family could not afford a hotel or a flat, so she and her husband eventually moved into a tent in the country’s biggest stadium while their children and grandchildren found shelter near the southern coastal city of Sidon. In just 10 days, more than 800,000 people in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346678/over-800000-lebanese-1-7-population-displaced-war-10-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346678/over-800000-lebanese-1-7-population-displaced-war-10-days?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:54:23 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran For many of those rescued from Southeast Asia’s scam compounds, escape is not the end of the ordeal. They leave behind the locked gates, surveillance and violence, but often return home carrying injuries, trauma and the stigma of having been forced to scam others. Just as difficult is what comes next: trying to explain the experience to the people waiting for them. “Some of them are not able to tell their family members or their community what has happened,” said human rights advocate Andrey... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346532/southeast-asias-scam-compound-survivors-suffer-stigma-and-silence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346532/southeast-asias-scam-compound-survivors-suffer-stigma-and-silence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Fatima Nazha slept on the streets for two days after she and her family fled their home in Beirut’s southern suburbs following an Israeli mass evacuation order. All of the schools the government turned into shelters were full, and the family could not afford a hotel or a flat, so she and her husband eventually moved into a tent in the country’s biggest stadium while their children and grandchildren found shelter near the southern coastal city of Sidon. In just 10 days, more than 800,000 people... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346600/aid-groups-warn-humanitarian-crisis-lebanon-nearly-1-million-displaced-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346600/aid-groups-warn-humanitarian-crisis-lebanon-nearly-1-million-displaced-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 09:50:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two men on a motorbike threw acid in the face of an Indonesian rights activist, leaving him badly hurt and prompting calls on Friday for a thorough investigation amid concerns of democratic backsliding in the country. Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the KontraS rights group, sustained serious injuries to his face, an eye, hands and chest in the attack in Jakarta late on Thursday. Andrie was riding a motorbike when he was approached by two men on a scooter, one of whom threw acid at him,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346574/acid-attack-indonesian-activist-raises-fears-democracy-under-prabowo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346574/acid-attack-indonesian-activist-raises-fears-democracy-under-prabowo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 02:20:59 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s Supreme Court has allowed the parents of a 31-year-old man to withdraw life-sustaining treatment after more than a decade in a vegetative state, a ruling experts say could shape how the country implements its legal framework for passive euthanasia. The decision in the case of Harish Rana is widely seen as one of the clearest real-world applications of the principle that patients have a right to die with dignity under India’s constitution. Rana, an engineering student, had been in a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346540/indian-man-13-year-vegetative-state-allowed-die-supreme-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346540/indian-man-13-year-vegetative-state-allowed-die-supreme-court?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:23:40 +0000 Reuters Reuters Explosive drone strikes by Haitian security forces targeting gangs have killed over 1,200 people, including 43 adult civilians and 17 children, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Tuesday, adding that operations have ramped up in recent months. Since last March, Haitian security forces, with support from Vectus Global, have carried out ‌anti-gang operations using quadcopter drones strapped with explosives, often in densely populated parts of the capital Port-au-Prince. Vectus Global is a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3346052/explosive-drones-have-killed-hundreds-haiti-including-civilians-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3346052/explosive-drones-have-killed-hundreds-haiti-including-civilians-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:33:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Five players from Iran’s visiting women’s football team claimed asylum in Australia on Tuesday, seeking protection after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem. Iranian players fell silent as the anthem played ahead of a tournament match in Australia last week, an act seen as a symbol of defiance against the Islamic Republic. US President Donald Trump was among those urging Australia to offer the players asylum, citing grave fears for their safety if they... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345992/concern-iran-womens-football-team-rises-australia-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345992/concern-iran-womens-football-team-rises-australia-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:08:02 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Sixty-one years after state troopers attacked Civil Rights marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, thousands are gathering in the Alabama city this weekend, amid new concerns about the future of the Voting Rights Act. The March 7, 1965, violence that became known as Bloody Sunday shocked the nation and helped spur passage of the landmark legislation that dismantled barriers to voting for Black Americans in the Jim Crow South. But this year’s anniversary celebrations – events run all... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345904/us-activists-politicians-rally-anniversary-civil-rights-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345904/us-activists-politicians-rally-anniversary-civil-rights-march?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 15:28:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Political efforts to cripple Turkey’s main opposition and lock up its presidential candidate will never stifle the people’s frustration with the government and their growing demand for change, Istanbul’s jailed mayor has said in an interview. “An irreversible process for a change in power has begun in Turkey and it won’t stop until it is complete. I cannot stop it … nor can the ruling party nor the judiciary,” Ekrem Imamoglu said in a written response to Agence France-Presse questions conveyed... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345864/demand-change-turkey-cannot-be-stopped-jailed-istanbul-mayor-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345864/demand-change-turkey-cannot-be-stopped-jailed-istanbul-mayor-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 07:30:51 +0000