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Sudan’s RSF committed crimes against humanity in el-Fasher, Amnesty says

Three years into Sudan’s devastating civil conflict between the country’s official armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a new bombshell investigation from Amnesty International has laid bare systematic, widespread atrocities carried out by the RSF during its 18-month campaign to seize control of el-Fasher, the main city in Sudan’s war-torn North Darfur region. The rights group’s findings, published Wednesday, confirm the RSF committed crimes against humanity and targeted ethnic cleansing in the territory, in what stands as one of the bloodiest chapters of the ongoing power struggle.

Amnesty’s investigation draws on firsthand testimonies from more than 200 survivors, analysis of 89 open-source video recordings, and extensive review of satellite imagery captured across North Darfur. The documentation outlines a litany of grotesque violations carried out by RSF fighters: mass murder, forcible population transfers, unlawful imprisonment, systematic torture, widespread rape, sexual slavery, other forms of sexual violence, enslavement, mass extermination, and targeted persecution of non-Arab ethnic communities. The report also notes that evidence collected by researchers may meet the legal threshold for the crime of genocide, echoing earlier findings from United Nations officials that flagged el-Fasher violence as bearing the “hallmarks of genocide.”

“Children were not collateral damage of this violence – often, they were deliberately targeted and have suffered immensely. They have been killed, injured, raped, abducted, and forcibly recruited on a massive scale,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, in a statement accompanying the report. Survivor accounts included harrowing tales of unprovoked attacks on civilian communities. A 17-year-old survivor from Abu Zerega, a small town south of el-Fasher, described being tied up and beaten before being shot in the leg, an injury that now leaves him dependent on crutches to walk. Eight of his cousins, four of them boys between the ages of 11 and 17, were killed in the same attack.

Amnesty’s research confirms that most civilian victims were targeted explicitly because of their ethnic identity. Arab militias aligned with the RSF systematically targeted members of local non-Arab communities across el-Fasher and surrounding areas, with witnesses repeatedly describing mass killings of civilians, systematic sexual violence, and intentional targeting of children.

United Nations data has already placed the death toll from the el-Fasher assault at staggering levels: more than 6,000 people were killed in just the first three days of the RSF’s final push to take the city last year. The broader civil war has now killed hundreds of thousands of people overall, uprooted more than 14 million Sudanese from their homes, and pushed 28 million more into acute hunger, marking it as the world’s worst active humanitarian crisis, according to international aid organizations. The United Nations has previously warned that sexual violence against men, women, and children is being systematically used as a weapon of war by both warring parties, which have both been accused of widespread atrocities.

The timeline of the conflict puts the el-Fasher campaign in context: after pushing the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) out of the capital Khartoum in March 2023, the RSF redirected its military focus to Sudan’s Kordofan region and el-Fasher, laying the city under a brutal 18-month siege before ultimately seizing control. Callamard emphasized that global leaders were given advance warning of the impending humanitarian catastrophe in el-Fasher, yet failed to act to protect civilians. “It is a stain on the conscience of humanity,” she said, calling for an immediate bilateral ceasefire across Sudan and the urgent deployment of an international protection force to shield vulnerable civilian populations.

Amnesty says it has already identified specific RSF commanders linked to the violations of international law documented in the report, and is calling for full accountability for all perpetrators of atrocities. The RSF has previously acknowledged isolated violations by its fighters, but has consistently claimed the scale of atrocities attributed to the group is exaggerated, and has not issued any specific comment on Amnesty’s latest report. International pressure has grown in recent months to force foreign backers of both the SAF and RSF to cut all military and financial support to the warring parties, amid growing global recognition of the scale of the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Sudan.

30 6 月, 2026
What we know about Taylor Swift’s rumoured NYC wedding celebrations

Ever since global pop icon Taylor Swift and NFL superstar Travis Kelce announced their engagement last summer in the backyard of Kelce’s Kansas City residence, fans across the world have fixated on one burning question: when and where will the couple exchange wedding vows? This Fourth of July weekend, that years-long wait for an answer may finally come to an end.\n\nFamous for dropping subtle easter eggs about major life updates across her wardrobe, discography, and world tours, Swift has stayed completely silent on plans for her upcoming nuptials. But her discretion has done little to curb rampant public and media speculation, which has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks. The conversation shifted from tabloid gossip to credible reporting last week, when *The New York Times* broke the story that event organizers had submitted permits for a large-scale gathering at Manhattan’s iconic Madison Square Garden (MSG) in early July, a permit that would require closing multiple blocks of the busy Midtown neighborhood surrounding the arena. The hype has spilled over into online prediction markets, where total wagers on the location and date of the couple’s wedding have now surpassed $4.5 million (£3.4 million).\n\nCity officials have confirmed to the BBC that an application for a street closure permit near MSG was submitted in early June, covering the period from July 2 through July 4 over the Independence Day holiday weekend. *The New York Times* was the first major outlet to confirm the permit filing, adding that multiple players from Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs have already booked hotel rooms within walking distance of the arena. Long before the paper of record confirmed the permit, tabloid outlets including TMZ had been floating MSG as the top candidate for the celebration. The 20,000-seat arena, normally home to the New York Knicks NBA team and host to the world’s biggest concert tours, has not officially been tied to the wedding by any representative of the couple, but CBS News — the BBC’s U.S. media partner — has reported that the couple is scheduled to host a 100-person rehearsal dinner at the arena’s on-site Infosys Theater, followed by a larger celebration running from Friday night into Saturday morning expected to welcome around 1,000 guests.\n\nAs preparation work has ramped up at the venue, more tangible clues have emerged to fuel the rumors. Large delivery trucks were spotted entering the MSG grounds earlier this week, marked with loading labels reading “Garden Party” and its abbreviation “GP”. Work crews have been photographed unloading stage rigging, professional lighting systems, and other event equipment, most of which has been kept covered to conceal its purpose. One visible crate was clearly marked as holding a 40-inch mirror ball, and a large white staircase railing was also spotted being carried into the building. On Tuesday, workers were seen rolling out a wide red carpet up the main entrance steps of the arena before quickly removing it, a moment captured by tabloid photographers.\n\nEven New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has joined in on the fun, dropping playful hints about the event in recent public appearances. During a press conference earlier this week focused on an impending heat wave set to hit the city this weekend, Mamdani quipped: “If you happen to be getting married at MSG, you will be staying inside and staying cool, and I think it’s a good example to set for the city at large.”\n\nDespite the mounting evidence, many fans and media commentators have noted that all the preparation could be an elaborate decoy, designed to draw paparazzi and public attention away from a smaller, private wedding elsewhere. The hype surrounding the high-profile event has already been compared to America’s equivalent of a royal wedding, with 24/7 media coverage and constant speculation across social media.\n\nWhile MSG may seem like an unusual choice for a wedding, the venue actually offers unique benefits that appeal to A-list celebrities. It features private underground VIP entrances that let guests avoid paparazzi, and full event organizers can exercise complete control over who is allowed to photograph or attend the event — a level of privacy that is nearly impossible to secure at popular outdoor wedding venues. It is also not the first time a wedding has been hosted at MSG: singer Sly Stone wed Kathy Silva at the arena in 1974, and the Unification Church hosted a mass wedding for more than 2,000 couples at the venue in 1982. For Swift personally, the venue holds extra meaning: she has performed there eight times over her two-decade career, owns a private residence in New York City, and was spotted at MSG earlier this spring attending a New York Knicks playoff game, which fans have since retroactively framed as a clue.\n\nOther theories about the wedding location have circulated in recent months. Many fans guessed Swift would opt for her sprawling coastal estate in Rhode Island, a popular summer spot that would fit the timeline of a July wedding. A rumor that Swift had offered another couple money to reschedule their wedding at a nearby Rhode Island venue was quickly debunked by the venue itself, and a swarm of fans that descended on the area last month left empty-handed after spotting a random wedding setup. Other speculated locations have included Kelce’s home base of Kansas City, Swift’s home state of Pennsylvania, and Kelce’s home state of Ohio. Still, the timing holds symbolic weight: Swift posted a famous Instagram teaser referencing Kansas City just after the 2023 Independence Day weekend, meaning a July 2026 wedding would fall almost exactly three years after the couple first met, a detail that fits Swift’s well-known love of symbolic Easter eggs. She has also long celebrated the Fourth of July holiday with big gatherings, adding more credibility to the weekend date theory.\n\nDetails about the guest list also remain tightly under wraps, but a handful of attendees have confirmed they will be present, including NFL star George Kittle, singer Benson Boone, and actress Suki Waterhouse. Longtime Swift confidantes including Selena Gomez, producer Jack Antonoff, and childhood friend Abigail Anderson Berard are widely expected to attend, while fans are still speculating whether former best friends Blake Lively and Karlie Kloss will receive invitations. Rumors have also swirled that music legends Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw, both major influences on Swift’s career, could perform at the celebration, a theory fueled by Swift wearing a Stevie Nicks t-shirt to her recent Knicks game at MSG.\n\nTo date, neither Swift nor Kelce has released any official statement confirming or denying that their wedding will take place this weekend at Madison Square Garden. The BBC reached out to representatives for both celebrities for comment, and received no response. For now, fans around the world will just have to wait and see if the long-speculated celebration is real.

30 6 月, 2026
Turkey tightens security and showcases strength and commitment ahead of NATO summit

As the July 7-8 NATO summit approaches, the Turkish capital of Ankara is bracing for the arrival of leaders from all 32 alliance member states, with host nation Turkey rolling out unprecedented strict security measures and preparing to showcase its dual role as both an independent and core member of the transatlantic bloc. The summit, which will gather global defense leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump at a time of growing rifts within the alliance, comes as Turkey has signaled a deliberate shift back toward closer alignment with its NATO partners after years of unorthodox independent foreign policy.

To guarantee the safety of summit attendees and delegations, Turkish authorities have deployed tens of thousands of police officers, placed national air defense systems on high alert, and imposed sweeping restrictions on public activity. All public gatherings, demonstrations, concerts and even graduation ceremonies within the capital have been banned for the duration of the summit, while non-essential public sector workers have been granted administrative leave to reduce traffic and crowd congestion. Major access controls are in place across key city arteries, the presidential complex (where summit meetings will be held), delegation hotels, and both existing and new aviation facilities.

In a pre-summit security sweep, law enforcement officials have detained more than 200 individuals alleged to have ties to extremist organizations including the Islamic State, according to official statements. However, the operation has also drawn criticism after independent reports confirmed that several political activists, lawyers and a local academic were swept up in the detentions. Additional controversy has emerged over restrictions on press and expression: a Turkish court has ordered internet service providers to block access to websites critical of the NATO summit and alliance policy on public order and security grounds, and multiple journalists aligned with Turkish opposition media outlets have been denied official press accreditation to cover the event. Media rights organizations and opposition political figures have decried these measures as excessively restrictive, with former Turkish ambassador and main opposition lawmaker Namik Tan noting that “in the history of the organization, we have never witnessed security measures as stringent and suffocating in a host city for a summit as we are seeing this time in Ankara.”

As part of pre-summit infrastructure upgrades, Turkey has completed conversion of a former military airfield into a purpose-built VIP airport exclusively designed to accommodate arriving heads of state and senior delegation members. Officials confirmed the facility will remain a dedicated VIP airport after the summit concludes and will not open to commercial civilian traffic. Local media has also reported city-wide beautification efforts, including repainting building facades along the motorcade route from the new airport to central Ankara.

For Ankara, a city of nearly 6 million residents with long experience of tight security in response to persistent terrorist threats, the current measures represent an extraordinary expansion of security controls that have significantly disrupted daily life. While some residents have adjusted to the new rules – like personal trainer Selin Karakoc, who expressed relief that her July 5 wedding falls just before restrictions take effect – the sweeping limits on public assembly and expression have sparked debate over the balance between security and civil liberties.

Beyond the immediate security preparations, the summit holds major strategic significance for both NATO and host Turkey. The core agenda for the two-day meeting centers on shoring up alliance unity amid growing tensions between the United States and European NATO members, stoked by Trump’s repeated threats to withdraw from the alliance, cut U.S. troop levels in Europe, and criticism of European allies for failing to back U.S. policy toward Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Defense spending commitments and the long-term future of the alliance’s transatlantic bond are also expected to feature prominently in discussions.

Fatih Ceylan, a former Turkish ambassador to NATO and current security analyst at the Ankara Policy Center, noted that the key metric for the summit’s success will be progress in reducing transatlantic rifts. “The important aspect of the meeting is to what extent the rift between the United States and Europe can be healed or narrowed during the summit,” he said. “We should not expect miracles, but nonetheless if there is a convergence of ideas emphasizing the importance of NATO, that should be seen as a success.”

Turkey’s role as summit host is widely credited with securing Trump’s attendance, a point the U.S. president himself acknowledged after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, saying “Well, except for the fact that it was being held in Turkey by President Erdogan, I don’t think I would have gone to it.” Trump has long maintained a close personal rapport with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has positioned the summit as a landmark moment for Turkey’s standing in the alliance.

Erdogan has framed Turkey as a reliable, responsible NATO ally that shoulders unique responsibility on the alliance’s strategically critical southeastern flank, saying he is working to ensure the Ankara summit “will stand as a reference point in NATO’s history.” As a NATO member since 1952, Turkey boasts the alliance’s second-largest standing military after the United States, a rapidly expanding domestic defense industry, and a one-of-a-kind strategic location at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, the Black Sea and the Caucasus.

Yet Turkey has long walked an independent path within NATO, a track record that has frequently frustrated other alliance members. Ankara has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia, maintains ongoing territorial disputes with fellow NATO member Greece, and purchased a Russian S-400 air defense system that resulted in its expulsion from the U.S.-led F-35 stealth fighter program in 2019. Turkey also delayed the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO for more than a year, only dropping its opposition after securing major concessions on counter-terrorism cooperation and the lifting of European arms export restrictions. It has also previously blocked senior NATO leadership appointments over unmet policy demands.

But Turkish analysts point out that this independent streak has also allowed Turkey to play a unique mediating role in regional conflicts, most notably brokering the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative that allowed critical grain exports to leave Ukrainian ports amid Russia’s full-scale invasion, and supporting recent diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.

Ankara has itself long expressed frustration with NATO allies, particularly over what it views as insufficient alliance solidarity during the 2016 failed coup against Erdogan, and over arms export restrictions imposed after Turkey’s military intervention in northern Syria. Murat Aslan, an analyst with Ankara-based think tank SETA, argued that Turkey’s history of tense relations with the U.S. and Europe forced it to develop an independent approach to alliance politics – a model that could now help bridge current transatlantic tensions, as European powers also push for their own strategic autonomy from the U.S. “Turkey can help NATO navigate U.S.–Europe tensions by showing how to ‘balance’ independence with alliance commitments,” Aslan said.

In recent months, Turkey has signaled a clear shift back toward closer alignment with NATO. The strategic value of the alliance was underscored earlier this year when NATO missile defense systems intercepted four missiles launched from Iran that crossed into Turkish territory during the Iran war. In a sign of alliance solidarity, Italy and Germany deployed additional air defense systems to Turkey in the weeks leading up to the summit to bolster security against potential regional threats.

Hamish Kinnear, principal Middle East and North Africa analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, wrote in a recent research note that “Turkey wishes to distinguish itself as a foreign policy actor that is independent of NATO and the West. While Turkey is not abandoning its balancing approach, it is tilting closer to the West, primarily because of NATO.”

For the alliance, the Ankara summit will test whether members can put longstanding rifts aside to present a unified front at a time of global uncertainty – while for host Turkey, it is an opportunity to cement its role as a core, indispensable member of the transatlantic alliance even as it retains its independent foreign policy voice.

30 6 月, 2026
Families search for earthquake survivors in one of Venezuela’s hardest hit areas

In the aftermath of a destructive seismic event that has left one corner of Venezuela shattered, grieving and anxious families continue to dig through piles of concrete and twisted debris in a frantic hunt for loved ones who remain missing. The catastrophe has hit the coastal La Guaira state particularly hard, turning once-thriving communities like Caraballeda into landscapes of ruin where hope hangs by a thread for those waiting for news of their relatives.

BBC senior correspondent Will Grant has filed his on-the-ground report from the disaster zone, where the air is still thick with dust and the sound of civilian shovels scraping against rubble echoes across damaged neighborhoods. Days after the earthquake struck, local residents have taken much of the search effort into their own hands, working around the clock as they struggle against limited resources and stretched emergency response capacity to pull any possible survivors from the wreckage.

The region, which has a long history of vulnerability to natural disasters, faces a growing crisis as the number of unaccounted-for residents remains unconfirmed. Many of those searching say they have refused to leave the site even as exhaustion sets in, driven by the desperate belief that their family members may still be alive trapped beneath collapsed buildings. International observers have noted that the disaster adds another layer of hardship to a country already grappling with long-standing economic and infrastructure challenges, leaving vulnerable communities even more exposed to the impact of major seismic activity.

30 6 月, 2026
Mexico rampant at fortress Azteca – and England could be next

The 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil has delivered a historic moment for Mexico, who brushed aside a 10-man Ecuador side to secure their place in the tournament’s knockout round and break a decades-long hoodoo that has held the nation back for generations. Now, El Tri stands just one win away from their first World Cup semi-final appearance, with a potential mouth-watering last-16 clash with England looming at the iconic, intimidating Estadio Azteca — a fixture that has fans across the globe buzzing and three-time World Cup winner England bracing for an almighty challenge.

Going into the final group stage match, Mexico had already picked up two wins without conceding a single goal, but a confident display against Ecuador cemented their status as one of the tournament’s most dangerous dark horses. The fixture was delayed by an hour after a stormy, lightning-laced evening over Mexico City, but the pause in play did nothing to cool the home side’s momentum. They came roaring out of the gates from the first whistle, with striker Julian Quinones opening the scoring with a blistering, unstoppable strike that left the Ecuador goalkeeper with no chance to save. Veteran Raul Jimenez, a familiar name to Premier League fans from his time at Wolves, doubled Mexico’s lead before halftime, putting the game out of reach before the break.

For Mexico, the result is far more than just another knockout round qualification: it ends the infamous ‘quinto partido’ curse that has plagued the national team for nearly 40 years. After Mexico reached the quarter-finals (the fifth match of the tournament) as hosts in both 1970 and 1986, every edition between 1990 and 2018 saw the side eliminated in their fourth game, falling at the first knockout hurdle. Their 2022 campaign ended even earlier, with a group stage exit. Now, El Tri have secured that long-elusive fifth match, and their undefeated, four-game run with zero goals conceded has fans dreaming of a first ever World Cup title.

Standing in the way of a historic run could be England, who face DR Congo in their final group stage fixture later the same day. Should Gareth Southgate’s side progress, they will face a challenge unlike any other at this tournament: a hostile, sold-out Azteca Stadium, where Mexico has built an almost unbeatable record. Across 89 competitive matches at the venue, Mexico has racked up 70 wins, 17 draws and just two defeats, and remains unbeaten in 10 World Cup matches played on its turf. Former Tottenham and Australia manager Ange Postecoglou warned that facing Mexico at home would feel like an entirely different tournament for any visiting side, noting that the entire nation is fully behind the in-form team.

It is not just the venue that opposing teams need to fear: Mexico’s current squad is delivering the most complete performances the national team has produced in decades. Quinones has emerged as a breakout star, notching three goals in four matches, while 17-year-old Gilberto Mora made history as the second-youngest player to ever start a World Cup knockout match — coming in just 20 days behind Pele’s 1958 record. Defensively, the side has been nearly impenetrable, facing just six shots on target across four group matches without conceding once. Former Nigeria striker Efan Ekoku praised Mexico as disciplined, skilled and tenacious, noting that a home side playing with this sort of momentum is incredibly difficult to stop.

Celebrations erupted not just across Mexico, but in major cities with large Mexican diaspora communities around the world, including Los Angeles, where thousands of fans gathered for downtown watch parties and set off fireworks after the final whistle. Fans in attendance called this the best Mexican side they have seen in decades, with many saying topping the group and reaching the last 16 far exceeded even their wildest pre-tournament expectations. Many noted the squad’s growing chemistry throughout the tournament, with previously criticized players stepping up to deliver critical performances. One fan summed up the mood, saying “this is a great year to be Mexican” as the team chases history on home soil.

For England, if they get past DR Congo, the prospect of facing Mexico at the Azteca is daunting, with the home side’s momentum and historic home advantage making them a dangerous opponent. For Mexico, a win in the last 16 would not only extend their run, but would make even the most skeptical fans believe that a first ever World Cup triumph could be on the cards.

30 6 月, 2026
Can China target critics abroad with its new ‘ethnic unity’ law?

When 23-year-old Chinese student Zhang Yadi, also known by her nickname Tara, flew home for a visit to China last July, few could have predicted her trip would end in detention. A postgraduate student at a top-ranked UK university, Tara had drawn Beijing’s ire months earlier while studying abroad: she shared a public birthday greeting to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on the social platform X, and had assisted with editing an independent Chinese-language outlet that advocates for Tibetan human rights.

Arrested in the popular tourist town of Shangri-La, Yunnan province, she now stands accused of “inciting others to split the country and undermine national unity,” a charge that carries severe penalties under Chinese law. For Beijing, which claims Tibet as an inalienable part of its territory and labels the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist, Tara’s words spoken from abroad crossed a non-negotiable red line. Her case now stands as a stark warning to critics of Chinese policy overseas as Beijing rolls out a sweeping new law that extends its legal reach beyond national borders.

On Wednesday, China’s long-debated Ethnic Unity Law formally comes into force. Framed by Beijing as a measure to foster social harmony and a unified national identity across the country’s 56 recognized ethnic groups, the legislation has triggered widespread fear among exiled dissidents, rights activists, and international governments. The most contentious provision, Article 63, grants Chinese law enforcement authorities explicit legal authority to target foreign-based organizations and individuals accused of “undermining ethnic unity” or “fomenting ethnic division.” For the first time, Beijing’s long-standing practice of transnational intimidation of dissidents will have formal domestic legal standing.

This development comes as China works to burnish its global image amid its rise as a major world power. In recent months, Beijing has loosened visa requirements for travelers from 77 nations, rolled out high-profile tourism campaigns, and rolled out the red carpet for visiting heads of state including U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Influencer social media content from trips across China, including to tightly restricted regions like Tibet and Xinjiang, has been amplified to showcase the country’s natural and cultural diversity to a global audience. But the new Ethnic Unity Law threatens to undermine that soft power push, drawing sharp condemnation from European policymakers and human rights groups.

Officially, Beijing frames the law as a logical extension of its longstanding policy of ethnic integration, which current leader Xi Jinping has framed using the metaphor of ethnic groups “hugging tightly like pomegranate seeds” to build a stronger, more unified nation. The law mandates that Mandarin Chinese, the language of the majority Han ethnic group that makes up more than 90% of China’s 1.4 billion population, be taught to all children from kindergarten through 12th grade, ending previous policies that allowed for most core coursework to be taught in local minority languages including Tibetan, Uyghur, and Mongolian. Beijing argues the mandate improves economic opportunity for minority youth by giving them fluency in the country’s dominant working language. But critics say the policy is a core part of the state-driven campaign of “sinicisation” launched in the late 2000s, which seeks to assimilate minority cultures into the dominant Han identity and erase distinct cultural and linguistic traditions.

Human rights groups say the law will formalize and expand repressive policies that have already targeted minority communities across China for years. In Tibet, authorities have seized control of monasteries, arrested monks who refuse to renounce their devotion to the Dalai Lama, and created a pervasive culture of surveillance and intimidation. In Xinjiang, the United Nations has documented credible evidence of grave human rights violations against the Uyghur Muslim minority, including the mass detention of more than one million people in what Beijing calls “vocational re-education camps.” In Inner Mongolia, 2020 saw rare mass protests by ethnic Mongolians against plans to curtail Mongolian-medium education, a movement that was quickly and violently crushed by security forces. A 2026 joint report from PEN America and the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center has already documented the systematic erasure of Mongolian-language content from Chinese online platforms, with social media groups shut down, independent accounts deleted, and informal digital community networks dismantled.

For Chinese dissidents and ethnic minority activists living in exile, the law’s cross-border jurisdiction clause has turned anxiety into immediate fear. Many activists still have close family members residing inside China, and rights groups report that relatives of foreign-based critics have already faced increasing harassment and threats over the past year. Even peaceful advocacy for minority rights from outside China, activists say, can now be labeled a criminal offense under the new law, and retaliation can fall on loved ones back home. For many, this closes off any possibility of a safe return to China in the future.

“As the Ethnic Unity Law goes into effect, the Chinese government’s fist of repression will continue to squeeze as it unabashedly weaponises cultural institutions, technology, and the media to further dictate a state-controlled version of Mongolian culture,” said Erika Nguyen, senior manager at PEN America’s PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center and co-author of the 2026 report on Mongolian cultural erasure. “Article 63 should be seen as a call to action for other countries to shore up their protection and support for the exiled Tibetan, Uyghur, and Mongolian writers, artists, journalists, and activists who continue their work at great personal risk.”

At a press conference introducing the law last month, Chinese Deputy Justice Minister Hu Weilie rejected international criticism that the law constitutes “long-arm jurisdiction,” calling the provision “legitimate, lawful, necessary and a workable legal provision.” “Safeguarding national unity, territorial integrity, and social stability falls within the sovereign rights of all countries, and is a basic principle established under international law,” Hu added.

But international policymakers have pushed back hard against the new law. Members of the European Parliament have already drafted a warning to EU member states, urging a review of existing extradition treaties with China and noting that if the law is used to target European citizens, it could lead to “severe consequences for EU-China relations.”

While legal experts note the law will be difficult to enforce in foreign jurisdictions, they argue its primary purpose is to chill free speech and deter any open criticism of China’s ethnic policies from abroad. For thousands of activists living outside China, the new legal framework represents a dangerous escalation of Beijing’s transnational crackdown on dissent, one that threatens to close off open debate even beyond China’s borders. Rights groups warn that as the law takes effect, minority languages will be further pushed out of public life inside China, and the space for advocacy globally will shrink dramatically.

30 6 月, 2026
Survey shows Japan’s business sentiment improving for a 5th straight quarter

TOKYO – The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has released its latest quarterly Tankan business sentiment survey, revealing that confidence among Japan’s largest manufacturing firms has extended its positive streak to five consecutive quarters, according to data published Wednesday.

The closely watched diffusion index, a key metric that calculates the gap between businesses reporting favorable operating conditions and those experiencing negative outlooks, climbed five points to 22, up from a reading of 17 in the previous quarter. Sentiment also ticked upward among large non-manufacturing businesses, which span service sector industries, with the sector’s index edging up one point to 37 from the prior quarter’s 36.

Despite the broad improvement in short-term sentiment, growing macroeconomic headwinds are casting uncertainty over Japan’s economic trajectory, with energy prices and currency weakness emerging as top concerns. Japan relies on imports for nearly 100% of its oil and natural gas supplies, and the yen has plummeted to near 40-year lows against the U.S. dollar, with the greenback trading at roughly 162 yen in Wednesday dealings. While a weak yen boosts the value of export earnings when converted back to yen – a major benefit for Japan’s world-leading export manufacturers – rising energy costs have started to offset this upside.

Inflationary pressures had already mounted amid spiking fuel prices driven by the Iran war, though crude costs have pulled back following the interim ceasefire deal reached between the U.S. and Iran to end the conflict.

In response to persistent price gains and yen weakness, the BOJ raised its benchmark interest rate to 1% last month, marking a three-decade high for the policy rate. The move represents the central bank’s latest step to normalize monetary policy after decades of holding interest rates at or near zero to combat persistent deflation.

Market analysts note that while near-term economic indicators including corporate investment remain solid, Japan still faces deep long-term structural challenges, most notably a persistent and growing labor shortage driven by the country’s aging and shrinking population.

Naomi Fink, chief global strategist and chief economist at Amova Asset Management, noted that the survey confirms a two-track trend across Japanese business. “Sales remain firm, especially for large enterprises, but profits are expected to weaken,” Fink explained. “Fixed investment plans are strong for large and mid-size firms but less so for small firms.”

30 6 月, 2026
Hincapie becomes second player sent off for covering mouth

In a high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage match that ended with Ecuador’s exit from the tournament, 24-year-old Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie has made history as the second player to receive a red card under football’s controversial new rule banning mouth covering during confrontations between players. The incident unfolded in second-half stoppage time on Tuesday evening, with Mexico already holding a 2-0 lead that would confirm their progression to the knockout round, as Hincapie entered a heated exchange with Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez and deliberately covered his mouth while speaking.

Slovenian head referee Slavko Vincic did not witness the interaction in real time, but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team flagged the incident and instructed Vincic to review the pitchside monitor replay. Following the review, Vincic showed Hincapie a straight red card, marking just the second time the new rule has resulted in a player dismissal at this year’s World Cup.

Hincapie’s expulsion mirrors an earlier incident in the group stage that saw Paraguay winger Miguel Almiron sent off for the same offense during a match against Turkey. Unlike Hincapie’s side, however, Paraguay held on to secure a 1-0 win despite the early red card. The ruling has already sparked debate this tournament after England midfielder Jude Bellingham avoided a red card last week despite covering his mouth during an exchange with Ghana’s Jordan Ayew. Refereeing officials have clarified that this discrepancy aligns with the specific wording of the rule: mouth covering is only penalized when it occurs during confrontational interactions, not friendly or casual exchanges.

Ahead of the 2026 tournament, FIFA Head of Referees Pierluigi Collina laid out the parameters of the new regulation explicitly, explaining that the ban was never intended to target private, amicable conversations between players. The rule was formally approved during a special gathering of the International Football Association Board (Ifab), football’s global law-making body, held in Vancouver back in April. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly backed the new punishment, noting that referees should start from the presumption that a player covering their mouth during a confrontation is saying something that violates the sport’s rules of conduct.

The push for this new regulation gained traction after a high-profile incident during a February Champions League fixture between Benfica and Real Madrid. In that match, Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth while speaking to Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. Prestianni was initially accused of racial abuse, which he denied, and handed a provisional one-match ban. After a full investigation by UEFA, the winger was ultimately found guilty of homophobic conduct and issued a six-match ban, three of which were suspended.

Under the current framework, final decisions on red cards for mouth covering remain at the on-field referee’s discretion, with match officials required to weigh all contextual factors of an incident before issuing a dismissal. For Mexico, the 2-0 win over Ecuador sets up a potential round of 16 matchup against tournament favorite England, keeping their 2026 World Cup title push alive while ending Ecuador’s campaign early.

30 6 月, 2026
Canada celebrates its birthday as Mark Carney battles to keep it intact

As Canadians across the nation gathered this week to mark Canada Day, celebrating 159 years of confederation, the festive atmosphere has masked deep growing strains that are putting the country’s longstanding unity to an unprecedented test. Two separate separatist movements, one in the western energy powerhouse of Alberta and another in the francophone province of Quebec, have gained new momentum in recent months, setting the stage for pivotal votes that could reshape the future of the world’s second-largest country by land mass.

In Alberta, a years-long grassroots separatist push has built enough support to trigger a non-binding sovereignty referendum on October 19. The vote will ask Albertans whether they support splitting from Canada and moving forward with a legally binding separation vote at a later date. Opinion polling places support for separation between 25% and 30% — a share that has caught political observers off guard, even as long-simmering Western alienation has been part of Canadian politics for generations.

Many backers of Alberta’s separatist movement argue the resource-rich province has been systematically sidelined by federal policymakers in Ottawa for decades. They point to sweeping federal environmental rules that they say have blocked pipeline construction, stifled development of Alberta’s vast oil and natural gas reserves, and cost the province billions in lost economic opportunity.

André Lecours, a political science professor at the University of Ottawa, notes that today’s separatist drive in Alberta is far different from the historical regional frustrations that have defined the province’s relationship with Ottawa. He calls the current movement a direct offshoot of modern right-wing populism, pointing out that nearly all the leading separatist groups in the province formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when federal public health rules stoked deep anger toward Ottawa among many Western Canadians. Notably, no elected provincial representative has yet openly and formally backed full separation, a key distinction from Quebec’s decades-long organized sovereignty campaign.

Half a country away in Quebec, the situation follows a different but equally fraught trajectory. The province, which is majority French-speaking and has long defined itself as a distinct cultural society within Canada, has already held two independence referenda, in 1980 and 1995, with the “yes” side falling just short of a majority both times. Today, the sovereigntist Parti Québécois holds a lead in polling for the province’s October 5 general election. The party has pledged to organize a third independence referendum by 2030 if it secures a governing majority.

Public support for Quebec sovereignty has held steady at roughly 30% in recent years, but the Parti Québécois has capitalized on widespread voter frustration with incumbent parties to surge into the lead ahead of the fall vote. Party leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has already released a 500-plus-page policy blueprint laying out his plan for a fully independent Quebec, cementing the issue as the central theme of the upcoming election.

Standing at the center of these overlapping tensions is Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England who cut his teeth watching the United Kingdom’s chaotic Brexit process unfold. Carney, who was raised in Edmonton, Alberta, has framed national unity as his top priority in the coming months, saying Canada is “worth fighting for” and promising to campaign aggressively to keep the country intact.

On Canada Day itself, Carney traveled to his hometown of Edmonton for a symbolic visit, where he was set to lay out his case for a unified Canada to a province that has grown deeply disillusioned with federal policy. Drawing on his experience with Brexit, Carney has warned that separatist leaders make unrealistic promises to voters during referendum campaigns, claiming separation will be easy, and that Albertans could retain their Canadian passports and currency even after leaving the country. He argues that these false claims risk undermining Canada’s global reputation as one of the most stable and attractive destinations for international business — a status the country cannot afford to lose.

Historians and political analysts say the current strains on Canadian unity stem from the country’s unique origins and geography. JDM Stewart, a prominent Canadian historian and author of a book on Canadian prime ministers, notes that Canada’s enormous size and deeply rooted regional identities have created tensions that have persisted since the country’s founding in 1867. “Because it’s so big, and because it is so regional, it does create tensions that have been with us since the beginning, and we still wrestle with them today,” Stewart explained.

Carney has already taken steps to address regional grievances, hoping to shore up support for national unity ahead of the fall votes. In Alberta, he brokered a landmark deal to approve a long-sought oil pipeline to the Pacific Coast, ending decades of acrimony between Ottawa and the province over energy development. The agreement marked a major reset in relations between the federal government and Alberta, which had been locked in conflict over climate and energy policy for generations. This week, Alberta is set to formally ask the Carney government to fast-track the million-barrel-per-day project, which would unlock billions in new revenue for the province. In Quebec, Carney has offered a C$10 billion infrastructure package to fund new hospitals, affordable housing, and public transit projects, aiming to build goodwill with Quebec voters ahead of the provincial election.

In a pre-Canada Day video address, Carney acknowledged that past federal energy policies left many Albertans feeling alienated, saying “What should have brought us together began to divide us.” He framed his approach as one focused on shared progress, saying his goal is “focusing on what we can build together.” Stewart notes that this approach follows the playbook of successful past prime ministers, who balanced a strong vision for national unity with a willingness to listen to regional grievances and compromise. “Provinces are sometimes a bit like people, they want to be seen and they want to be heard,” Stewart explained. “In a time like this, you need to be able to sell a vision for Canada.”

Despite the rising tensions, most Canadians remain optimistic that the country will stay united. A recent poll from the Angus Reid Institute finds that a large majority of Canadians believe neither province will actually leave the federation. Stewart argues that the tradition of compromise and pragmatism that has defined Canadian politics since its founding will hold the country together once again. “Most Canadians really feel happy about the country, and are happy to keep working to make it work, and do the bit of compromise that has really been the secret sauce,” he said. “Compromise and pragmatism has been what has kept this country together.”

30 6 月, 2026
Ecuador’s Hincapié becomes the second player sent off for covering his mouth at the World Cup

MEXICO CITY – The 202X World Cup has marked another chapter in the enforcement of FIFA’s controversial new conduct rule, with Ecuador defender Piero Hincapié becoming the second player to receive a straight red card for breaching the regulation. The rule, introduced this tournament to crack down on hidden verbal abuse between players, mandates an automatic sending off for athletes who cover their mouths during heated confrontations with opponents.

Hincapié’s dismissal came in the 95th minute of a tightly contested round of 32 knockout clash on Tuesday, where Ecuador ultimately fell 2-0 to host nation Mexico. The red card was issued immediately after the defender engaged in a tense verbal back-and-forth with Mexican striker Santi Giménez, during which Hincapié covered his mouth – a move that directly triggered the new regulation.

FIFA rolled out the new rule ahead of the tournament with a clear purpose: to eliminate the longstanding loophole that allowed players to hurl insulting or abusive language at rivals without being caught by match officials or broadcast microphones. By mandating a sending off for any mouth covering during confrontational exchanges, governing body officials hope to deter unsportsmanlike verbal conduct and improve transparency in on-pitch behavior.

Hincapié is not the first athlete to fall foul of the new regulation. Paraguayan playmaker Miguel Almirón claimed that unwanted distinction last week, when he was sent off during a group stage fixture against Turkey. Almirón’s dismissal sparked widespread debate across global football circles about the rigidity and fairness of the new rule, with pundits split on whether the punishment fits the offense.

For Hincapié and Ecuador, the red card carries immediate consequences. Ecuador’s exit from the knockout round means their World Cup campaign has already come to a close, but the suspension handed down alongside the red card will extend to the South American side’s next official international match in future FIFA competitions.

This report was contributed by Jack Little, a student journalist at the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

30 6 月, 2026