international news

Citizen archivists across South Asia are working to preserve endangered oral traditions by recording folk songs, oral histories, and traditional knowledge from 14 language communities and uploading them to open-access platforms like Wikimedia Commons. This initiative, called "Enhancing Indic oral culture on Wikimedia projects," has produced 227 recordings that capture generations of knowledge at risk of disappearing due to cultural homogenization and socioeconomic changes. The oral narratives reveal aspects of daily life rarely emphasized in mainstream education, such as agricultural practices, alternative depictions of religious figures, and marginalized communities' resistance to cultural suppression. By documenting these traditions themselves, native speakers ensure ethical data collection while making previously oral-only knowledge accessible on mainstream knowledge platforms like Wikipedia and Wikisource.

Artists and advocates organized a fundraising concert at the Palestine House of Freedom in November to support UNRWA staff working in Gaza amid ongoing conflict. The event showcased musical and visual performances, including two films directed by Ilana Alazzeh featuring compositions by Niko Michalopoulos that highlight Palestinian suffering and resilience. The artistic works incorporate testimony from Palestinian children and imagery representing mothers mourning their deceased children, aiming to raise awareness about casualties and displacement. Organizers emphasized that global solidarity through creative expression is crucial for supporting Palestinians both in occupied territories and diaspora communities, with the event serving as both fundraiser and call to action. # Key Takeaways

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been living in exile in India since fleeing Dhaka in August 2024, where she now faces serious criminal charges including corruption, human rights violations, and war crimes. Bangladesh's interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, has expressed strong concerns about India allowing Hasina to conduct media interviews from exile, arguing she is using Indian territory to spread inflammatory statements that fuel unrest in Bangladesh. The interim government claims significant progress in stabilizing the country's economy and institutions after the July-August 2024 uprising that ousted Hasina's administration. Relations between Bangladesh and India have become strained over the asylum issue, with Bangladesh's government urging India to prevent Hasina from interfering in Bangladeshi affairs while preparing for national elections scheduled for early 2026.

Bangladesh's interim government has expressed serious diplomatic concerns over India's decision to allow ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to remain indefinitely in the country and grant her access to Indian media outlets. Following her flight from Dhaka in August 2024 after a major uprising, Hasina has been residing in a secure New Delhi location while facing numerous charges in Bangladesh, including crimes against humanity for which she was sentenced to death in absentia. The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Professor Yunus, claims to have stabilized Bangladesh's collapsed economy and institutions over the past year while implementing democratic reforms. Relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated as Dhaka accuses New Delhi of allowing Hasina to spread inflammatory statements that contribute to unrest, and the government is now preparing for national elections scheduled for early 2026.

Artificial intelligence technology is becoming increasingly integrated into daily life, with global surveys showing 55% of people view AI as more beneficial than harmful. However, LGBTQ+ community members face disproportionate risks from AI systems due to biased training data that perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reductive representations of queer identities. Beyond digital harms, AI-powered automatic gender recognition systems are being deployed for surveillance purposes, particularly in countries with anti-LGBTQ+ governments like Hungary, where authorities monitor Pride events under the guise of public safety. Major AI models from companies like Meta and OpenAI have been found to generate negative content about gay people over half the time, demonstrating widespread homophobia in their underlying data. The article argues that developers must partner with LGBTQ+ stakeholders throughout the development process and implement strict prohibitions on gender detection technologies to ensure AI serves all people equitably. # Key Takeaways

In 2025, multiple Western nations including Switzerland, Portugal, and Canada's Quebec province have implemented bans on religious face coverings and symbols, particularly affecting Muslim women who wear burqas, niqabs, or hijabs. Quebec's expanding secularism laws now prohibit religious symbols in public schools and plan to extend these restrictions to daycares, with politicians competing to broaden such measures further. This pattern mirrors coercive dress codes in countries like Afghanistan and Iran, where women are forced to cover themselves, revealing a global contradiction where women's clothing choices remain controlled by governments rather than the women themselves. The article argues that whether mandating covering or uncovering, both approaches strip women of agency and autonomy, with Western nations hypocritically condemning religious coercion abroad while imposing their own dress codes at home under the guise of secularism and liberation. # Key Takeaways

The author, drawing from their brother's experience as an ER doctor in Turkey's border regions, argues that humanitarian crises abroad directly impact local communities through interconnected supply chains, information networks, and migration patterns. Rather than viewing distant suffering as separate from domestic concerns, the piece demonstrates how unmet basic needs in one region create cascading effects that manifest as healthcare emergencies, economic strain, and social instability elsewhere. The author advocates for proactive investment in food security, education, and cash support as practical measures that prevent crises rather than merely responding to them. Through concrete examples like malnourished children and carbon monoxide poisoning from makeshift heating, the piece calls for solidarity-based action—including awareness-raising, political accountability, and recognizing shared humanity—as both morally necessary and strategically sound in an interconnected world.

Activists from São Paulo's marginalized peripheral neighborhoods have developed approximately 30 proposals to present at the upcoming COP 30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil. The "Letter from the Peripheries on Commitments for the Climate," signed by 50 collectives and 1,000 community leaders, addresses issues like flooding, housing inadequacy, and environmental degradation that disproportionately affect poor areas. The Peripheral Front for Rights, which organized the initiative, argues that residents of these neighborhoods experience climate impacts first and most severely, yet their perspectives are typically excluded from international climate discussions dominated by privileged elites. Their proposals emphasize community-driven solutions including waste management improvements, environmental education, green currency for recycling, reforestation efforts, and holding polluters accountable while ending forced evictions from informal settlements. # Key Takeaways

A viral TikTok video showed a masked individual giving cash to Tamru, a struggling man in Addis Ababa, which sparked widespread donations from Ethiopian diaspora members totaling over $3,600 intended to purchase him a three-wheeled taxi. However, Tamru alleges he was pressured to send approximately $1,212 from his account to associates for various fees like "tax clearance" and "processing," while the promised vehicle never materialized. The incident involves anonymous TikTok accounts @melektegnaw_ and @baladeraw, which operate charity-styled content using identical formats of masked donors and emotional narratives, raising questions about transparency and platform accountability. Despite Tamru's public allegations on YouTube channel Eyoha Media and subsequent confrontations, no financial documentation was provided, and major Ethiopian broadcasters failed to challenge the fundraisers' lack of transparency, highlighting how charity scams exploit social media platforms operating in under-resourced language markets.

Najeebullah Khitab, an Afghan singer born and raised in Pakistan over 46 years, faces deportation as part of Pakistan's large-scale repatriation program that began in 2023, affecting approximately 2.8 million Afghan refugees. Despite spending his entire life in Pakistan and repeatedly attempting to gain citizenship, Khitab must return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan where music is banned, effectively ending his career and sole source of income. The deportation process has unfolded in three phases targeting different documentation categories, with legal challenges by refugee advocates failing in multiple courts and the UNHCR providing minimal assistance. Khitab and hundreds of other refugee families now wait outside the UNHCR office in Quetta with their belongings, seeking repatriation certificates while border tensions temporarily halt their departure. # Key Takeaways

The upcoming COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil (November 10-21) is being met with skepticism by Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS), who are increasingly frustrated by the gap between climate action promises and tangible results. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, these nations face disproportionate climate impacts, with Hurricane Melissa alone causing an estimated $48-52 billion in regional damage and possibly $67 billion to Jamaica specifically. Caribbean leaders are demanding accountability and Loss and Damage financing from major polluting nations, expressing disappointment that conference organizers plan no new measures and that leaders from the United States, China, India, and Russia will not attend. The Jamaica Environment Trust CEO emphasized that island nations cannot continue absorbing massive climate-related costs while major emitters avoid responsibility, calling for radical change rather than waiting for permission to survive. # Key Takeaways

Assata Shakur, a former Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army member who lived in exile in Cuba, died in Havana on September 25 at age 78. Dr. Kimberly Monroe, an associate professor at Trinity Washington University who has long studied Shakur's autobiography, organized a public reading event with students to honor her legacy and teachings. The event included excerpts from Shakur's book, music, and a documentary about her life in Cuba, though Monroe faced criticism from conservative media for hosting it. Shakur remains an influential figure for young activists, particularly college students who connect with her journey of developing political consciousness during her own time in college. Her life and work continue to symbolize resistance against racism, capitalism, and imperialism. # Key Takeaways

Social media platforms have become crucial spaces for marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ+ youth seeking connection and support, though they simultaneously expose users to harmful misinformation and hate speech. Meta's January 2025 decision to eliminate third-party fact-checking in favor of community notes, along with removing LGBTQ+ protections, has alarmed human rights groups and journalists who point to platform algorithms' role in spreading false information and fueling real-world violence. These algorithms prioritize engagement over accuracy, leading users down radicalization pathways and making misinformation difficult to correct once it spreads. As younger generations increasingly rely on social media rather than traditional news sources for information, concerns grow about how platform designs, AI-generated content, and recommendation systems shape public discourse and enable both government control and the erosion of trust in factual information.

The SAFWAC Foundation, established in 2011 in Cairo, Egypt, is an NGO dedicated to supporting displaced communities and refugees, with a primary focus on Somalis but extending services to refugees from across the region. Executive Director Salma Osman Abdi, who co-founded the organization and was appointed to her current role in late 2022, leads efforts to provide holistic support through five key program areas including education, psychosocial and legal protection, cultural services, creative spaces, and volunteer preparation. The foundation became officially registered with Egyptian authorities in 2022 and has since expanded operations to Mogadishu, Somalia, where it focuses on promoting literacy and cultural engagement. Through its inclusive approach, SAFWAC has positively impacted thousands of vulnerable individuals including women, children, youth, and elderly populations facing challenges like isolation, limited resources, and cultural barriers.

What began in 2016 as peaceful protests by Cameroon's English-speaking minority over language and legal marginalization has devolved into a profitable kidnapping industry run by separatist armed groups. These fighters, originally seeking independence for a state called "Ambazonia," now systematically abduct civilians and extort ransoms that are reinvested into weapons, drugs, and sustaining the conflict itself. In 2023 alone, armed groups extracted approximately $7.9 million through nearly 450 ransom kidnappings, more than double the previous year's total. Former fighters reveal that the movement has been hijacked by criminals more interested in enrichment than liberation, creating an economic system where ransom payments paradoxically finance the very violence victimizing local populations. This transformation has trapped families in cycles of poverty and fear while making peace economically disadvantageous for those profiting from the ongoing instability.

The recent ceasefire in Gaza has revealed an environmental catastrophe that extends far beyond typical humanitarian concerns, with systematic destruction rendering the territory nearly uninhabitable. The conflict has obliterated critical infrastructure including wastewater treatment plants, agricultural land, and solar energy systems that Palestinians had developed despite years of blockade. The environmental damage includes poisoned aquifers, contaminated soil from toxic rubble and chemical weapons, and massive carbon emissions exceeding those of many vulnerable nations combined. The author, a humanitarian and climate organization leader, argues this constitutes deliberate ecocide designed to prevent Palestinian self-sufficiency and warns that reconstruction will require unprecedented global ecological restoration efforts. Beyond immediate humanitarian needs, the catastrophe poses long-term threats through groundwater contamination, disease spread from decomposing bodies, and the enormous carbon footprint anticipated from rebuilding efforts.

The Indigenous Karen community of Huai Hin Lad Nai in northern Thailand, recognized as the country's first Indigenous way of life protection zone and previously honored with conservation awards, suffered devastating floods and landslides in September 2024 after unprecedented rainfall. Following the disaster, the community faced false accusations that their traditional rotational farming practices caused deforestation and contributed to the catastrophe, though research revealed the landslides actually occurred in areas affected by pre-1989 logging concessions, not in community-managed farmland. Experts and activists argue that restrictive conservation laws prevent Indigenous communities from fully utilizing their traditional environmental knowledge and disaster prediction methods, while Thailand's legal system fails to recognize communal land ownership or Indigenous rights despite being a UN declaration signatory. The community is advocating for constitutional reforms that would recognize community resource rights and allow them to combine traditional wisdom with modern technology for improved disaster preparedness and response.

Sudan has been devastated by a brutal civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and displacing approximately 14 million people. Both military factions have committed severe human rights violations including torture, sexual violence, and targeted ethnic killings, with the RSF's recent seizure of El Fasher in October leading to an estimated 2,500 civilian deaths. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission has released a report documenting these atrocities and proposing accountability measures through truth-seeking, justice, reparations, and institutional reforms. Senior leaders from major humanitarian organizations recently visited Sudan to assess the crisis firsthand, witnessing widespread devastation while also observing the remarkable resilience of affected communities who continue rebuilding schools and maintaining hope for the future.

Turkey's judicial system is facing mounting criticism over its independence and fairness, highlighted by several recent cases that suggest political interference and institutional weakness. The high-profile murder trial of 15-year-old Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, which resulted in maximum sentences for two teenage defendants, unfolded under intense public pressure and raised questions about judicial autonomy. Simultaneously, opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu faces arrest on corruption and newly added espionage charges that critics view as politically motivated persecution. Adding to these concerns, a proposed judicial reform package would criminalize behavior deemed contrary to "biological sex and public morality," threatening LGBTQ+ individuals and journalists who cover their issues, further demonstrating how Turkey's legal system is being weaponized against dissent and minorities rather than upholding constitutional principles of democratic rule of law.

While countries like the United States and United Kingdom are rolling back transgender rights under the guise of protecting traditional values, India's Supreme Court is taking a markedly different approach by actively expanding legal protections for transgender individuals. Building on the landmark 2014 NALSA ruling that recognized a distinct "third gender" category with full fundamental rights, Indian courts have recently issued several progressive judgments addressing employment discrimination, domestic violence protections, and marriage recognition for transgender people. The October 2025 Jane Kaushik decision directed the creation of an advisory committee to strengthen implementation of the 2019 Transgender Persons Protection Act, while a June 2025 ruling clarified that transgender women possess full legal status as women under Indian law. Despite ongoing administrative challenges and some limitations—such as the lack of recognition for non-heterosexual transgender marriages—India's judiciary stands out globally for its commitment to expanding rather than restricting transgender rights.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her role in organizing a massive citizen-led election monitoring network during Venezuela's disputed 2024 presidential election. The Nobel Committee recognized her courage in documenting electoral fraud and unifying a previously fragmented opposition movement around democratic principles. Machado, who has been in hiding since being abducted by security forces in January 2025, led over half a million volunteers who collected evidence showing opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won approximately 70 percent of votes, contradicting the government's claim that Nicolás Maduro won. The award has generated mixed reactions, with supporters celebrating her peaceful resistance while critics question her alliances with controversial international figures like Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.

A study examining peace journalism trainings in East African countries reveals that journalists interpret peace journalism differently based on their professional circumstances and resources. Entry-level reporters and those in remote areas tend to focus on conflict victims and community reconciliation, while established journalists in well-resourced organizations emphasize policy solutions for elite audiences. Rather than viewing these varied interpretations as problematic, researchers suggest that diverse journalistic perspectives on conflict can actually strengthen peacekeeping efforts by providing multiple angles and approaches. The findings highlight that journalism alone cannot resolve conflicts, but tailored training programs that acknowledge journalists' different professional contexts could improve conflict reporting effectiveness. # Key Takeaways

Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm with winds reaching 175 miles per hour, is moving through the Caribbean and has already killed seven people in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The storm is projected to strike Jamaica on Tuesday and southeastern Cuba by Wednesday, bringing potentially catastrophic flooding with up to 30 inches of rainfall in some Jamaican regions. Climate scientists point to human-caused warming as a factor intensifying the hurricane's dangers, noting that unusually high sea surface temperatures in the Caribbean have boosted wind speeds and damage potential. This year marks only the second time since 1960 that three or more Category 5 hurricanes have occurred in a single season, raising concerns about climate change's role in creating more powerful storms. # Key Takeaways

In March 2025, a devastating oil pipeline rupture in Ecuador's Esmeraldas province caused approximately 25,000 barrels of crude oil to spill into local rivers, flowing 80km downstream to the Pacific Ocean. Community members discovered the disaster before officials acknowledged its full scale, with the oil contaminating waterways, destroying aquatic life, and polluting beaches. In response, local environmental networks mobilized rapidly to deliver aid while facing institutional silence and delayed governmental action. Despite President Noboa's promise of cleanup and compensation, affected communities report inadequate response from Petroecuador, prompting the formation of the Union of People Affected by Oil and Diesel Spills in Esmeraldas to demand comprehensive reparations.

Hong Kong's government has rejected the US State Department's placement of Hong Kong on its Tier 2 human trafficking watchlist in the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report. Despite being a designated transit point for human trafficking since 2015, Hong Kong maintains it has adequate laws to combat trafficking without adopting the UN's Palermo Protocol. The US report criticizes Hong Kong for identifying only eight victims out of 11,300 potential cases in 2024, failing to prosecute suspected traffickers appropriately, and maintaining visa policies that make foreign domestic workers vulnerable to exploitation. The situation has been exacerbated by the disbanding of NGOs since the enactment of the National Security Law in 2020, which has limited assistance for potential victims.

Indonesian activist Adlunfiqri Sigoro, alongside community members and environmental organizations, protested at Walsin Lihwa Corporation's headquarters in Taiwan on August 5, challenging the Taiwanese nickel-processing company's practices in Indonesia. The protesters highlighted environmental damage, threats to local livelihoods, and poor labor conditions at Walsin's operations in Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park and Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park. Though Walsin's management met with the activists following the protest, the company failed to provide substantive responses to their demands for improved labor conditions, transparency, environmental due diligence policies, coal phase-out, and stakeholder engagement mechanisms. The struggle exemplifies the broader tensions between Indonesia's nickel industrialization ambitions and the environmental and human rights concerns of local communities like Sagea.

Venezuelan migration to Colombia has surged dramatically, with 1.84 million Venezuelans migrating to Colombia in 2021 alone and an expected 7.9 million leaving Venezuela by 2025 according to the UN Refugee Agency. The article details the personal experience of a 12-year-old Venezuelan girl who migrated to Colombia with her mother in January 2021, facing economic exploitation, limited healthcare access, employment discrimination, and xenophobia. Despite these challenges, the author acknowledges receiving help from compassionate Colombians and notes government initiatives like the Temporary Protection Permit, which aimed to provide migrants with healthcare services. After her mother's health deteriorated and they faced ongoing financial struggles, including significant wage discrimination, they ultimately returned to Venezuela in early 2023.

Vietnam Rise is a diaspora-founded organization working to empower grassroots activists and civil society in Vietnam despite restrictive civic space. The organization runs fellowship and incubation programs that train activists in leadership skills and provide seed grants for grassroots groups working on issues like labor rights and LGBT concerns. Vietnam Rise faces significant challenges including state media misinformation, political punishment risks in Vietnam's one-party system, and international ignorance about Vietnam's authoritarian nature. To overcome these obstacles, the organization participates in regional collaborations like the Terali cybersecurity project and is organizing a Social Movement Festival in November to bring together activists and initiatives.

Uruguay has made history by becoming the first Latin American country to pass a law permitting euthanasia, following Senate approval with 20 votes in favor out of 31. The legislation allows mentally capable adults suffering from chronic, incurable diseases that cause suffering to access the procedure. This milestone follows a five-year legislative journey that began with a proposal in 2020, stalled, and was reintroduced after the leftist coalition Frente Amplio returned to presidency. President Yamandu Orsi has indicated he does not plan to veto the law, which would make Uruguay the fourth country in the region to decriminalize euthanasia but the first to establish it as a right through legislation.

The article discusses the ongoing plight of Uyghurs, focusing on the European Uyghur diaspora's efforts to maintain international attention on human rights violations in China's Xinjiang region (called East Turkestan by Uyghurs). It features an interview with Dilnur Reyhan, founder and president of The European Uyghur Institute, who discusses the challenges of establishing a Uyghur cultural center in Paris, the effects of colonial domination on the diaspora community, and efforts to decolonize Chinese narratives about Uyghurs. Reyhan also highlights the promising activism of young Uyghurs in exile who are bringing progressive, feminist, and humanist perspectives to diaspora advocacy work, including through events like the first International Secular Uyghur Youth Congress.