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Human rights

Human rights

Latest news, features and analysis on human rights, with a focus on civil liberties in Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia.

Juan Pablo Guanipa, an ally of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, rides on the back of a motorcycle after his release from prison in Caracas, Venezuela on Sunday. Photo: AP

Venezuela frees opposition members after politically motivated detentions

‘Much to discuss about the … future of Venezuela,’ said Juan Pablo Guanipa, an ally of opposition leader Machado, after his release.

2 hours agovideocam

Iran sentences Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi to over 7 more years in prison

9 Feb 2026 - 1:40AMvideocam

Russia says suspect in shooting of top general detained in Dubai

8 Feb 2026 - 6:31PM

‘Deported but not defeated’: the Southeast Asians cast out of Trump’s US

Born in a Thai refugee camp and raised in Texas, Kham Paneboun is now stateless in Laos, one of thousands punished again for old crimes.

8 Feb 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

US federal agents enter a residential building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Americas and the Caribbean

Haiti’s future uncertain amid US threats, bloody gang conflict

Three US warships arrived in the ‌Bay of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, reflecting the US ‘commitment to Haiti’s security, stability and brighter future’.

7 Feb 2026 - 8:15PM

Scripts, bank details and military rules: Cambodian scam compound secrets

Mostly run by Chinese criminal gangs and staffed partly by trafficking victims, these complexes have proliferated across Indochina.

7 Feb 2026 - 3:57PMvideocam

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Hong Kong courts

Opinion | Those betting on Hong Kong’s bright future have backed a winner

The ‘one country, two systems’ framework, enshrined in the Basic Law and staunchly supported by the central government, has allowed the city to flourish.

5 Feb 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Illustration: Craig Stephens

Road to equality? Iran formally allows women to ride motorcycles

In a country where women’s public presence is heavily regulated, the right to operate a vehicle is a powerful indicator of shifting social boundaries.

4 Feb 2026 - 8:26PMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

‘Where is the ceasefire?’: Israeli strikes kill 21 Palestinians in Gaza

More than 530 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since an October ceasefire, as Gaza health officials decry the ‘continued genocidal war’.

4 Feb 2026 - 8:35PM

Video | 4 more telecoms fraud gang members executed in China

Members of the Bai family syndicate were convicted of telecoms fraud, murder and drug trafficking.

3 Feb 2026 - 2:41PM

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Palantir defends surveillance tech as US government contracts boost sales

CEO says Palantir is supporting some ‘unusual operations’, but has safeguards to prevent government overreach.

3 Feb 2026 - 2:09PM

Demonstrators taking part in an ‘ICE Out’ protest in Minneapolis on January 30. Photo: Reuters

Iran plans nuclear talks with US as Trump warns of ‘bad things’

Facing threats of potential US military action, Tehran agrees to a Friday meeting in Istanbul on its nuclear programme.

3 Feb 2026 - 6:56PM

Israel-Gaza war

Gaza’s Rafah crossing sees ‘limited’ reopening amid truce, but challenges remain

Restoring the Rafah-Egypt crossing is a vital milestone for the peace process, concluding the long closure enforced by the Israeli military.

2 Feb 2026 - 7:49PM

Americas and the Caribbean

Costa Rica elects tough-talking right-winger for president

Laura Fernandez, a protege and former chief of staff of the outgoing president, has pledged to continue his tough security policies.

2 Feb 2026 - 3:06PM

Laura Fernandez waves to supporters during her victory speech. Photo: AFP

US-Iran tensions

Trump hopeful of deal after Iran’s top leader warns of regional war

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issues ‘regional war’ warning as the United States ramps up its naval presence in the Middle East.

2 Feb 2026 - 8:46AM

An F/A-18E Super Hornet launching from the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on January 28. Photo: US Navy via AFP

Screenwriter of Oscar-nominated Iranian film arrested in Tehran

Mehdi Mahmoudian and others detained after signing a statement calling Iran’s crackdown an ‘organised state crime against humanity’.

2 Feb 2026 - 10:20AM

ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

Child detained by ICE in raid returns to Minnesota after judge’s order

Liam Conejo Ramos and his father released after a federal judge blasts the Trump administration’s ‘ill-conceived’ pursuit of deportation quotas.

2 Feb 2026 - 1:25PM

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Nigerian army kills top Boko Haram commander, 10 militants in night raid

Abu Khalid, a commander of Boko Haram in the Sambisa Forest in Borno state, was a key figure within ‘the terrorist hierarchy’ according to the army.

1 Feb 2026 - 11:21PM

A Nigerian soldier from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) loads his machine gun during training at the MNJTF military base, Sector 3 Headquarters, in Monguno, Borno state, Nigeria, on July 5 last year. Photo: AFP

France’s Capgemini to sell US subsidiary under pressure for ICE contract

French lawmakers and Finance Minister Roland Lescure asked Capgemini to explain a contract signed with US immigration enforcement agency ICE.

1 Feb 2026 - 7:52PM

Myanmar junta pledges to remove former civil servants from blacklists

After the military snatched power in a 2021 coup, tens of thousands of public workers left their posts in a surge of civil disobedience.

1 Feb 2026 - 4:54PM

US must release 5-year-old ‘bunny hat boy’ detained by ICE, judge orders

Liam Conejo Ramos was allegedly used as bait to lure out his family, further strengthening the backlash against Trump’s migrant crackdown.

1 Feb 2026 - 6:48AM

Liam Conejo Ramos, five, is detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after arriving home from preschool in a Minneapolis suburb on January 20. Photo: Ali Daniels via AP

Americas and the Caribbean

Venezuela proposes to free hundreds of prisoners, close ‘torture’ prison

Interim president Delcy Rodriguez says the proposed law will hopefully ‘heal the wounds’ and restore peace among Venezuelans.

31 Jan 2026 - 9:05AM

Relatives of detainees react outside the Helicoide detention centre in Caracas after interim president Delcy Rodriguez announces a proposed “amnesty law” for hundreds of prisoners on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Chinese hair salon owner arrested in Barcelona for funding Hamas via crypto

The 38-year-old Chinese national faces terror financing charges after allegedly laundering US$715,000 via cryptocurrency to the militant group.

31 Jan 2026 - 12:31AM

Israel-Gaza war

Israel offers ‘limited’ Rafah reopening after nearly 2-year Gaza border shutdown

The reopening is part of phase two of the US ceasefire. Previously, it was Gaza’s main crossing for people and trade with Egypt.

30 Jan 2026 - 9:39PM

US envoys to Israel blocked ‘apocalyptic’ Gaza warning in 2024: report

Leaked reports reveal US diplomats killed internal memos detailing dead bodies and famine in Gaza to avoid a ‘lack of balance’ in policy.

30 Jan 2026 - 7:43PM

Palestinians walk through the destruction left by the Israeli air and ground offensive in April 2024. Photo: AP

‘They are trying to inject fear’: Iran rounding up thousands after crackdown

Security forces reportedly use unofficial warehouses and secret lock-ups as activists say arrests stand at more than 42,000.

30 Jan 2026 - 1:46PM

An woman sits on a bus in Tehran, Iran, on Thursday. Photo: EPA

How the folksy ‘Genuine American Hero’ became an anti-ICE anthem

Shootings in Minneapolis have led to scathing criticism from the likes of Jesse Welles and Bruce Springsteen.

29 Jan 2026 - 9:15PM

As ICE cracks down, some of America’s biggest names are speaking out

The US president is facing a growing cultural revolt that threatens to undermine his signature domestic priority.

29 Jan 2026 - 4:33PM

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