Friday, February 13, 2026
Paramilitary forces in Sudan unleashed “a wave of intense violence…shocking in its scale and brutality” during their final offensive to capture the besieged city of El Fasher last October, committing atrocities that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, according to a report released on Friday by the UN human rights office, OHCHR.
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By Shahzad Uddin, Director, Centre for Accountability and Global Development, University of Essex
Bangladeshi voters went to the polls on February 12 for the first election to take place since the ousting of Sheikh Hasina in 2024.
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By Patricia Maguire, Professor, School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin
A new study has ignited the debate over whether every pregnant woman should take low-dose aspirin.
For years, it has been recommended for women at high risk of pre-eclampsia. This dangerous condition can cause high blood pressure and organ damage. The argument for giving it to all pregnant women is straightforward: current screening isn’t perfect, and pre-eclampsia can be hard to predict.
Aspirin is cheap, widely available and…
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By Derek T. Muller, Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame
An FBI raid on a Georgia elections facility has sparked concern about Trump administration interference in the 2026 midterms. An obscure 1970s Supreme Court case provides guardrails against that.
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By Amnesty International
Four months after the armed attack against Venezuelan activists Yendri Velásquez and Luis Peche in Bogotá, the authorities have yet to present clear progress in the investigation or guarantee full protection measures, warns Amnesty International, while expressing concern over the risks faced by many Venezuelans who have been forced to flee their country without receiving adequate international protection. “This attack cannot be treated as an isolated case. It reflects the […] The post Colombia: Four months after the attack on Yendri Velásquez and Luis Peche, justice remains pending appeared…
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By Amnesty International
Reacting to calls by ministers and officials in France and Czechia for Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, to resign, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said: “It is reprehensible that ministers in Austria, Czechia, France, Germany and Italy have attacked the […] The post Global: European states must retract outrageous attacks on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese appeared first on Amnesty International. ]]>
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image The Italian Navy ship Libra in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Albania, April 11, 2025. © 2025 Vlasov Sulaj/AP Photo Before she was elected prime minister, Giorgia Meloni threatened to impose a naval blockade in the Mediterranean Sea to stop boats carrying migrants and asylum seekers from reaching Italy. Her government has now proposed draft legislation that will allow it to do just that.The bill, approved by the cabinet on February 11, would allow the government to prohibit boats from entering Italian territorial waters “in cases of grave threats to public…
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Members of the Voice of Catholic People of Papua gathered at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral in Merauke, Indonesia, call on church officials to protect Indigenous people from government policies, January 25, 2026. © 2026 Stenly Dambujai (Tokyo) – Indonesian police unlawfully dispersed, beat, and detained 11 Papuan protesters in Merauke City, South Papua, on January 25, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should promptly and impartially investigate the incident, appropriately discipline or punish those responsible for abuses, and consult…
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By Toby James, Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of East Anglia
Elections need periodic reform to ensure that they have integrity and fulfil their role in line with the times, and the British government has unveiled its proposals for doing just that.
Britain was widely regarded as one of the pioneers of such democratic electoral reforms. In the late 19th and early 20th century, reform acts extended the franchise to enable more people to vote. Anti-corruption and bribery rules prevented election candidates offering food and liquor for votes.
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By Andrew Mycock, Chief Policy Fellow, University of Leeds
The UK government has unveiled plans to lower the voting age to 16 for general elections, heralding the delivery of a Labour pledge first made in 2010.
The intent of the UK government’s electoral reform is understandable. Faith in politicians and democracy is at an all time low. Keir Starmer’s election promise to restore…
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