Global think tanks (sources: ASPI The Strategist; Atlantic Council; Council on Foreign Relations; East Asia Forum; Lowy The Interpreter; Observer Research Foundation)
War on Iran
(Atlantic Council) The final bell of this bout may be near. The United States and Iran have traded blows in recent days, with the US launching two nights of strikes in southern Iran after Iran downed a US Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Iranian forces responded with attacks against Gulf countries and a US air base in Jordan. US President Donald Trump threatened further escalation this morning, but then reversed course this afternoon, calling off strikes and saying that all parties had “approved” a deal. What does this back-and-forth signal about the state of the war and the negotiations? – Is this the end of the Iran war? – Atlantic Council
Board of Peace
(Clemens Chay – Observer Research Foundation) The Board of Peace (BoP), launched in January 2026 at Davos under United States (US) President Donald Trump’s chairmanship, represents an unprecedented experiment in conflict resolution: an American-led multilateral framework operating outside the United Nations system, funded through membership fees, and premised on the (unstated) principle that money and military strength can forge peace where diplomacy has failed. The BoP emerged from Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, adopted under UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025. Trump signed the Board’s founding charter on 22 January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with representatives from 28 countries. At its inaugural meeting on 19 February 2026 in Washington, DC, the Peace Board unveiled over US$17 billion in pledges from nine countries and secured troop commitments for an International Stabilization Force. Despite these pledges, however, the initiative faces a severe cash crunch. News reports reveal that the BoP has received only a tiny fraction of the US$17 billion promised, effectively stalling reconstruction and preventing the US-backed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza from entering the Strip. Compounding these financial troubles are various other obstacles, including Hamas’s refusal to disarm, Israeli territorial encroachment beyond agreed boundaries, and marginalised Palestinian representation in governance decisions. Most strikingly, the BoP’s launch coincided with Operation Epic Fury—Trump’s war against Iran—raising fundamental questions about whether peace can be pursued through military might. – Whither the Board of Peace? Perspectives from Washington and the Gulf
Global South
(Sunaina Kumar, Ambar Kumar Ghosh – Observer Research Foundation) Social protection systems are a crucial pillar of developmental governance in countries across the world, and a key instrument to address inequality and poverty. In the last two decades, especially, they have expanded in low- and middle-income countries of the Global South, driven by economic growth and increased fiscal capacity. As a redistributive mechanism, social protection enables the transfer of resources, such as cash, in-kind goods, and services, to the poor and the vulnerable. It provides protection against contingencies, including sickness, maternity, unemployment, disability, and old age. Amid rising socioeconomic insecurity and inequality, the need to integrate social protection into broader national strategies for development and inclusive growth has intensified. This paper explores the dynamics of evolving social protection systems in three countries—India, Brazil, and South Africa—to examine their socioeconomic and governance impacts, and offers key recommendations to strengthen social protection frameworks across the Global South. – Expanding Social Protection in the Global South: Evidence from India, Brazil, and South Africa
Pakistan
(Shivam Shekhawat, Sushant Sareen – Observer Research Foundation) Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, met United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 29 May 2026 during an official visit to Washington. In a statement released by Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs ministry after the meeting, the US Secretary of State acknowledged Islamabad’s effort at mediating the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and reiterated the US’s commitment to expand cooperation in trade and investment with Pakistan. In the past year, Pakistan has been attempting to push a “victory” narrative addressed to both its domestic constituents as well as external observers. Such strategic messaging from Islamabad covers Operation Sindoor—during the campaign itself and in its aftermath—as well as its mediatory role in the Middle East crisis which it is framing as a diplomatic victory given its close relationship with all the parties involved. For India, any degree of diplomatic and geopolitical relevance accorded to its neighbour and rival raises its threat perceptions. – Pakistan in Perspective: A Post-Operation Sindoor Analysis
Bangladesh
(Moniruzzaman – East Asia Forum) Weeks after Bangladesh committed to buy US$15 billion of US liquefied natural gas, the United States went to war with Iran, throwing Gulf energy markets into disruption. With around 95 per cent of its oil and fuel imported, Bangladesh was left paying more for rerouted US energy supplies, seeking Washington’s approval to buy cheaper Russian diesel and constrained in its foreign policy. Building resilience will mean reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels while diversifying supply through domestic gas, renewables and closer cooperation with India. – US energy deal leaves Bangladesh exposed | East Asia Forum
Singapore
(Joseph Liow – East Asia Forum) Singapore is not typically seen as a middle power, but its economic strength, global connectivity and proactive diplomacy have enabled it to exert influence beyond its size. The city-state has consistently championed multilateralism, recognising that international rules and institutions are essential to its survival. Through championing multilateral initiatives like trade agreements and small-state groupings, Singapore has demonstrated its capacity to shape outcomes on the international stage. Yet its influence remains constrained by great power competition and the fragmentation of the global order, which is narrowing its diplomatic space. – Singapore’s middle power muscle | East Asia Forum
Asia
(Alex Dryden – East Asia Forum) Debt-for-nature swaps have helped finance conservation while easing fiscal pressures, but Asia has accounted for only 13 per cent of global deals despite containing some of the world’s most environmentally significant and vulnerable ecosystems. Rising debt servicing costs, greater reliance on private creditors and increasing climate commitments are improving the viability of these instruments in the region, though concerns over scale, complexity and sovereignty continue to limit their appeal. – Asia lags behind in debt-for-nature swaps | East Asia Forum
Pakistan
(Haneea Isaad, Sam Reynolds – East Asia Forum) Pakistan’s LNG supply has been severely disrupted by the US–Israel war on Iran, exposing the country’s heavy reliance on Qatari gas and leaving it vulnerable to spot market price spikes and power shortages as summer approaches. Widespread solarisation has so far softened the blow. But Pakistan’s long-term energy security will depend on accelerating its shift to domestic clean energy and battery storage rather than locking itself into costly new LNG contracts. – Breaking Pakistan’s LNG dependence cycle | East Asia Forum
South Korea
(Su Hwan Chung – East Asia Forum) In South Korea, marginal part-time work has risen sharply as stronger enforcement of worker protections above a 15-hour weekly threshold has made those protections more binding in practice. As compliance with benefits and social insurance increased for eligible workers, employers faced stronger incentives to keep hours just below the cutoff where protections do not apply. The result is a widening labour-cost discontinuity that has unintentionally expanded very short-hour employment and excluded more workers from the protection system, highlighting the trade-offs inherent in threshold-based labour regulation. – South Korea’s labour protection gains leave more part-time workers behind | East Asia Forum
Japan
(Sayuri Shirai – East Asia Forum) Japan’s yen remains weak due to a combination of cost-push inflation, demographic pressures, cautious policy settings and wide interest rate differentials with the United States. Without meaningful improvements in domestic demand or productivity, the yen is likely to remain around the 160-per-US-dollar range. The economy’s structural pressures will likely keep any recoveries from market interventions limited and temporary. – Japan’s structural constraints reinforce the yen’s new normal | East Asia Forum
China, New Zealand, Taiwan
(Shruti Pandalai – Lowy The Interpreter) China last week “surprised” four New Zealand MPs, banning them from entering not just mainland China but also Hong Kong and Macau. The Chinese embassy in Wellington accused the local politicians of crossing a “red line” having made a visit to Taiwan a month before. Beijing’s move had no precedent and was viewed as an escalation in its attempts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically, coming soon after China pressured Indian Ocean island countries to deny Taiwan’s president clearance to travel their airspace. China then indicated the ban could be shortened or waived if the MPs apologised. The ACT Party’s Laura McClure called China’s action a form of “foreign interference” and refused to back down. So why did Beijing ask for an apology at all? – Beijing’s ban on NZ MPs is a calibration test – will democracies pass it? | Lowy Institute
China, North Korea
(Khang Vu – Lowy The Interpreter) Lost among the flag-waving children and red-carpet welcome for Xi Jinping in Pyongyang last week was the true intention of the visit – China’s wish to absolve itself of any responsibility for North Korea’s military presence in Europe. China and North Korea are treaty allies, and while Beijing is a “forever” partner of Moscow, it has no desire to become entrapped in great-power competition with the United States in both the European and Asian theatres. A long history informs this view. China was initially worried in 1961 about signing an alliance with North Korea, fearing it would become tangled in a war started by Pyongyang. Beijing’s original position was that it would only sign such a treaty after Korean unification. But after the Sino–Soviet Split and a 1961 Soviet Union–North Korea Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance, China reversed its original position. – Xi draws a line on North Korea’s alliance demands | Lowy Institute
Southeast Asia
(Mochammad Fadjar Wibowo – Lowy The Interpreter) While the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda commands headlines due to its deadly and exotic nature, the risk of the virus spreading widely is epidemiologically low – little comfort for those dealing with the immediate consequences, but a relief for the wider world with still-fresh memories of a global pandemic. But the threat from virus infections remains very real – and in a region much closer. The resurgence of measles in Southeast Asia reveals more about the state of regional health security than a distant outbreak ever could. – What measles reveals about health security in Southeast Asia | Lowy Institute
Philippines
(Mong Palatino – East Asia Forum) The Philippines was the first country to declare a national energy emergency following the February 2026 US–Israel attacks on Iran, exposing its dependence on imported oil and the limits of its three-decade oil deregulation policy. To contain inflation and preempt public unrest, the Marcos Jr government introduced emergency measures, including tax relief and limited price controls. While supporters view the response as pragmatic crisis management, critics raise concerns about inefficiency, corruption and patronage, even as the crisis renews debate over longer-term energy reform. – Energy crisis gives Philippine oil deregulation a reality check | East Asia Forum
(Alvin Camba – Lowy The Interpreter) When Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo signed the Pax Silica declaration in April, the Philippines became the 13th signatory of a US-led coalition to secure semiconductor, critical mineral, and AI supply chains. The reaction in the Philippines was predictably divided, with rural groups calling it a sellout of land and sovereignty while the government insisted it had rejected any arrangement placing the planned hub beyond local jurisdiction. Lost in the noise is a more uncomfortable truth: the agreement is the best chance the Philippines has had since the 1970s to restructure its economy toward higher-value production. – The Philippines has a golden chance to get Pax Silica right | Lowy Institute
China, Zambia
(Shannon Van Sant – ASPI The Strategist) Zambia’s abrupt decision to postpone RightsCon, an annual summit on human rights in the digital age, shocked organisers and those who planned to attend. The summit’s organiser, New York-based advocacy group Access Now, says the Chinese government pressured Zambian officials, objecting to the inclusion of Taiwanese participants and demanding censorship of some topics planned for discussion. Access Now cancelled the summit rather than complying. China had provided a US$30 million (A$43 million) grant supporting the expansion of the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, where RightsCon was scheduled to take place, helping to build the hall it later forced empty. Zambia has become a case study for how economic investment from China can progress to suppression of dissent, silencing a population that once protested in the streets against such influence. Public opinion in Zambia also has global import for international security. Zambia sits on the central African copperbelt, one of the world’s richest sources of copper and cobalt – minerals now central to power grids, data centres and defence. Democracies which continue to support free speech, from the United States to its allies in Europe and Asia, including Australia, should not view this as a distant African problem. – From protest to silence: China’s long game in Zambia | The Strategist
G7, France, US
(Heidi Crebo-Rediker – Council on Foreign Relations) President Trump’s decision to attend next week’s G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, is noteworthy. Given his disdain for multilateralism and his frequent frustration with many of the other attendees, U.S. participation was not guaranteed. Regardless of global tensions or policy differences, leader-to-leader engagement at summits has value. Yet Trump will arrive immediately after celebrating his birthday on June 14 with a UFC championship event on the White House lawn and may be in a fighting mood himself, ready to use the G7 stage to berate allies for what he views as inadequate support following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Against this backdrop, French President Emmanuel Macron’s challenge may be less about advancing his personal initiatives than managing the summit itself. France could find itself confronting two sets of competing summit agendas: the one it planned and the one that geopolitical events—and Trump—have created. The task facing the French president will be to prevent these dueling agendas from overwhelming the broader purpose of the gathering while preserving what remains of G7 cohesion. That cohesion, as well as the G7’s usefulness as an organizational forum, has been challenged at other times over its fifty years of existence. It has survived many political transitions and still provides the primary platform for advanced economies to coordinate global policy. It should be preserved. Macron next week will seek to keep the flame alive as he passes the torch to the United States, which assumes the G7 presidency in 2027. – Macron’s Agenda Meets Trump’s at the G7 Summit | Council on Foreign Relations
World Cup
(Mariel Ferragamo – Council on Foreign Relations) The 2026 men’s World Cup is beset with a slew of travel restrictions affecting entry to the United States, which will host 78 out of 104 total matches. Fans from some countries are facing an outright ban on travel to the United States, while others will have to jump through multiple hoops to get inside the country. The challenges facing spectators who want to watch their home countries compete is indicating a lower turnout and a smaller economic return than FIFA, the global soccer body, and this year’s hosts initially boasted. Early reports from the tourism sector are already showing signs of lackluster attendance. “The truth is that even before the cup, many travelers had expressed reservations about travel to the United States,” CFR expert Ebenezer Obadare said. FIFA previously estimated the tournament would attract more than five million fans across the three countries, while the State Department more recently put that number at ten million visitors to the United States alone. Total expenditures (considering hosts, FIFA officials, investors, and fans) will likely top $13.9 billion, FIFA estimated. The organization also predicted the tournament would bring in $40 billion in revenue and create more than eight hundred thousand jobs across the three cohosts. But as the first teams take to the field today, several stadiums are on track to have empty seats. The opening matches in the United States and Canada were not sold out on the official platform as of Monday, and across the opening group phase of the tournament, the resale portal still had 176,000 unsold tickets, according to the Financial Times—adding to concerns that the expected payout won’t fully materialize. – FIFA Promised a World Cup Economic Boom, But U.S. Stands May Be Emptier Than Usual | Council on Foreign Relations
US
(Peter Gautier – Atlantic Council) With over one million drones in the US, threats are rising rapidly to aviation, border security, military bases, critical infrastructure, and public events. Congress and the Trump administration have expanded counter-drone authorities and launched new initiatives, but stronger action is needed. The US should focus on better drone tracking, expanded law enforcement training, greater funding for counter-UAS systems, and improved interagency coordination. – Don’t wait for a disaster to develop strong US counter-drone capabilities – Atlantic Council
Global news
(AFP-Al Arabiya/US, Australia) The United States Navy will deploy a nuclear-powered submarine squadron to a strategic Australian navy port this year, Canberra’s defense minister said on Friday. Under the AUKUS agreement, the four US-commanded submarines will operate out of the west coast Australian port on a rotating basis from next year. – US submarine group to arrive in Australia this year: Minister
(Reuters-Al Arabiya/US, Europe, NATO) The United States plans to significantly reduce the aircraft and warships that it makes available for NATO operations in Europe, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing two senior European officials. The decision would limit NATO’s ability to launch long-range strikes and conduct surveillance, the report said. The US plan includes cutting the number of F-16 and F-15E fighter jets from roughly 150 to 100, as well as reducing maritime reconnaissance aircraft from 26 to 15 and removing all eight aerial refueling tanker jets it previously made available to Europe, the report said. – US plans major cut to fighter jets, warships for NATO operations in Europe: Report
(Reuters-Al Arabiya/US, Iran, Oil) Oil prices fell over 4 percent on Friday to their lowest in nearly two months after US President Donald Trump cancelled new strikes on Iran, reducing fears of an escalation of hostilities following tit-for-tat attacks earlier in the week. Brent futures LCOc1 were down $3.81, or 4.22 percent, at $86.57 a barrel by 0857 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) CLc1 crude dropped $3.80, or 4.33 percent, to $83.91. Both contracts were at their lowest since April 17. Trump called off the threatened strikes on Thursday, saying discussions with Iran had progressed and a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping could be signed as soon as this weekend. Tehran said it had not made a final decision but large parts of the agreement had been finalized. – Oil falls to near two-month lows as Trump calls off threatened strikes on Iran
(AFP-Al Arabiya/US, Iran, Egypt) Egypt urged the United States and Iran to seize what it called an “available opportunity” for a deal to end the war, after President Donald Trump withdrew his threat to carry out further strikes on Tehran. – Egypt urges US, Iran to seize ‘available opportunity’ for deal after Trump cancels strikes
(AFP-Al Arabiya/Russia, Ukraine) Three civilians died in Russian and Ukrainian border regions, officials said on Friday, as the two sides lobbed overnight strikes at each other in the latest exchange of fire in the grinding war. In Russia, two civilians were killed and two wounded in the border region of Bryansk after Kyiv struck the settlement of Suzemka with artillery, acting governor Egor Kovalchuk said in a post to Telegram. – Three civilians dead in latest Russia, Ukraine strikes
(Reuters-Al Arabiya/US, Iran) US forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones as Tehran appeared to attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a US official told Reuters on Thursday, in the latest clashes between the two nations. – US forces shoot down two Iranian attack drones, official says
(Yolande Knell – BBC/Israel, Palestinians, Jerusalem) There is the loud din of a demolition below Jerusalem’s walled Old City, and from a hillside I watch a large Israeli excavator tearing into a Palestinian house. Some 59 properties have now been destroyed in the al-Bustan area of the Silwan neighbourhood since late 2023. With world attention diverted by the war in Gaza and now in Iran and Lebanon, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of Palestinians being pushed from their homes in Israeli-occupied east of the city. “There is no future. They destroyed the future and everything else,” says Fayez Awad, 58, who is sitting in the only remaining floor of his property when I reach him. – ‘They destroyed the future’: Palestinian anger at rise in Israeli demolitions in East Jerusalem
(Dmytro Basmat – The Kyiv Independent/Russia, NATO) Russia will be prepared to “invade a NATO partner” by 2029, Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, the head of Germany’s army, told Politico in an interview published on June 11. Freuding’s comments are the latest in a series of increasingly warnings from Western leaders and defense officials about the threat emanating from Russia and Europe’s current lack of preparedness. “All 32 NATO partners agree that Russia might have the capability to invade a NATO partner country in 2029,” Freuding told Politico. “2029 is not a German timeline. It’s NATO-agreed intelligence,” further warning that an attack may occur sooner. – ‘It’s NATO-agreed intelligence’ — German army chief warns Russia will be prepared to attack NATO by 2029
(Volodymyr Ivanyshyn – The Kyiv Independent/Russia, NATO) Russia has expanded military infrastructure near its border with NATO members and is preparing for a potential war, a June 10 investigation by Danish public broadcaster DR and several counterparts revealed. Russia is expanding its military presence near its border with Finland, Norway, and the Baltic states, unnamed Nordic intelligence chiefs and top military officers told the outlet. – Russia has increased military buildup near NATO border, investigation reveals
(Nicholas Vinocur and Jacopo Barigazzi – Politico/European External Action Service) The head of the EU’s diplomatic service has given a staunch defense of her institution as it fights off suggestions that it be shut down. In an email seen by POLITICO, Kaja Kallas, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, wrote to the 5,000-strong staff of the European External Action Service, insisting that it “added value” to the bloc. She was responding to a French government discussion paper that floated radical options for the EEAS that included bringing it completely under the control of the European Commission. “I would … stress how much added value we have provided to Europe as a team, especially at a moment of full-scale war raging in Europe,” Kallas said in her email. – Kallas defends EU’s foreign service after French paper questions its survival – POLITICO
(James Angelos and Nette Nöstlinger – Politico/Germany) In Friedrich Merz’s telling, it’s not just his chancellorship that’s on the line — but the future of the German republic. Merz and the leaders of his conservative-led government have vowed to agree on a series of urgent and long-delayed reforms on everything from the tax and pension systems to long-term care insurance in the coming weeks. The self-imposed deadline is intended to demonstrate that Germany’s ideologically divided coalition can come together to govern ahead of two elections set for September in states of the former East Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is far ahead in polls. Both contests have taken outsized significance in Germany, where they’re widely seen not only as critical tests of the current government’s standing — but also of the resilience of German democracy 36 years after the country’s reunification. By the time voters go to polls in September, Merz says, his government needs to have shown that it’s capable of acting to restore economic growth and, more broadly, trust in the political mainstream. – Far-right surge puts Merz’s coalition on the clock to deliver – POLITICO
(Hanne Cokelaere – Politico/Europe, Migration) After years of political deadlock, false starts and dead ends, a major overhaul of EU migration policy kicks in on Friday. The reforms are the EU’s response to an upsurge in arrivals back in 2015, which revealed shortcomings in the bloc’s migration policies and cracks in its ability to coordinate policy. The aim is to increase control over who enters the EU and divide responsibilities between member countries — while boosting trust between those same countries. – The EU has new migration rules. What does that mean? – POLITICO
(Gregorio Sorgi – Politico/Europe, Budget) A group of wealthy northern EU countries has launched a revolt against a proposal for only minimal cuts to the bloc’s €2 trillion budget. The plan for a 2 percent (€32.8 billion) cut to the European Commission’s proposal for 2028 to 2034, put forward by the Cypriot government in its role at the six-month helm of the presidency of the Council of the EU, falls short of the demands by fiscally conservative countries, including Germany and Netherlands. “It is unaffordable, unbalanced, and with the wrong focus. The overall volume remains far too high at a time when fiscal space is limited across Europe and difficult choices are unavoidable,” Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen wrote in a statement on Thursday after the Cypriot negotiating document — known as a “negobox” — was published. “For the Netherlands, this is a no-go box, ” he said. – We want bigger cuts to EU budget than planned, richer countries say – POLITICO
(Veronika Melkozerova – Politico/Russia, Ukraine) Ukraine wants an additional $20 billion from its allies to cement its temporary battlefield advantage over Russia, a senior Ukrainian defense official told POLITICO. “Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but we need financing to do it,” said the official, speaking on condition of being granted anonymity. The $20 billion ask will be made on June 18 at the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein Format, where allies organize financial and military aid for Kyiv. – Ukraine to ask for $20B to make Russia ‘burn’ – POLITICO
(Dmytro Basmat – The Kyiv Independent/Russia, Ukraine) Ukraine’s military reportedly carried out drone attacks on various Russian regions overnight on June 12, striking multiple petrochemical plants as far as over 1,200 kilometers (620 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, Russian Telegram media channels reported. Ukrainian drones reportedly struck the Togliatti Kauchuk petrochemical plant in Russia’s Samara Oblast in the morning hours of June 12, residents reported, leading to a fire at the facility. Photos and videos posted to social media purports to show long-range drones over the city of Tolyatti ahead of the attack. – Russian petrochemical plants reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones hundreds of kilometers from front line
(Stephen Collinson – CNN/War on Iran) The world whiplashed Thursday between an apparently imminent, dangerous escalation of the war in Iran and a claim of peace in our time. At least, that’s according to President Donald Trump. In the morning, the commander-in-chief was threatening to invade Iran’s Kharg Island oil exporting hub — an operation that would risk many American lives. But hours later he proclaimed he’d clinched a “great” deal to end the war that will mean the Islamic Republic never gets a nuclear weapon. Trump argued that his threats — and latest air strikes on Iran — had effectively bombed it into a negotiating climbdown. “I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today,” Trump told a tele-rally for the Georgia governor’s race. The truth, however, may be a little more complex. – How to judge Trump’s claims he’s ended the Iran war | CNN Politics
(Barak Ravid – Axios/War on Iran) The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding President Trump claims will soon be signed calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen immediately without tolls and for Iran to receive sanctions relief based on compliance, according to a diplomat from one of the mediating countries and a U.S. official. The MOU would extend the ceasefire for 60 days, including in Lebanon, during which time nuclear negotiations would be held. The text includes a framework for addressing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, though any action on Iran’s nuclear program would depend on a second, more detailed accord. The diplomat from one of the mediating countries, who walked Axios through the latest text, said “the U.S. and Iran have agreed on the text of a deal,” but acknowledged the deal still needed final sign-off. – What’s in the Iran deal Trump says he’s ready to sign
(UN News/Hate Speech) Hate speech is a grave and growing threat to peace and security, Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Thursday, calling for urgent action to break a cycle that can lead to genocide and other atrocity crimes. Mr. Guterres was speaking at UN Headquarters in New York at the launch of the Muscat Plan of Action – an initiative that highlights the role of traditional and Indigenous leaders in promoting peace and strengthening social cohesion. Hate speech “divides communities, dehumanizes entire groups, and sets the stage for bloodshed,” he said. “It is also deliberate – and a core component in the playbook for virtually every genocide and atrocity crime.” – Hate speech spreading ‘faster than ever’, warns UN chief as global action plan is revealed | UN News
(UNNews/Afghanistan, Women) Gender equality agency UN Women is “gravely concerned” by the arrest of at least 30 women in Herat city last weekend in Afghanistan for allegedly violating dress requirements imposed by Taliban authorities. The women allegedly violated decrees which include a requirement to wear a burka or chador with a face mask and a ban on perfume, according to UN independent human rights experts on Thursday. The arrests come amid a growing human rights struggle for women in the country, with the de facto authorities – who returned to power on August 15, 2021 – placing increasing restrictions on women’s education, employment and other basic rights. – ‘Grave concern’ after dozens of women arrested in Afghanistan for dress violations | UN News
(UN News/Human Rights) The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has launched a Global Alliance for Human Rights, a broad coalition aimed at placing the issue at the heart of decision-making, when conflict levels have reached a record high amid deepening inequality and accelerating climate change. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk unveiled the initiative in Geneva, describing it as a direct response to what he called a world “in disarray.” Speaking to UN News, Mr. Türk said the Alliance was designed to channel the energy of people who want change. – ‘Human rights are part of our DNA’: UN launches global alliance to counter rising threats | UN News
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