Today, EU Foreign Policy Chief, Kaja Kallas, presented a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement at the meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers. In response, Agnes Bertrand Sanz, Oxfam Humanitarian Expert, said:
“There are moments in history where delay and distraction are not neutral, it is a decision. While EU ministers continue to debate and defer, entire families in Gaza are being buried under rubble and people are being killed while trying to get food.
“The EU and EU countries cannot keep on playing political ping pong or risk losing sight of the crisis in Gaza. Talking is easy. Acting is harder. And every second of delay costs lives.”
EU foreign affairs ministers met today for theForeign Affairs Council. At the meeting, EU Foreign Affairs Chief, Kaja Kallas, presented a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to European Foreign Affairs Ministers.
Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement states “Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.” Israel’s well-documented violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, violate Article 2.
Beyond suspending this agreement, Oxfam is calling for a permanent ceasefire, safe and unhindered humanitarian aid,an end to illegal Israeli occupationand a halt in all arm sales and transfers to Israel while there is a risk they are used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.
For more information on our work and to see our latest press releases, please visit oxfam.org/eu. For updates, follow us on Twitter, BlueSky and LinkedIn.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
An IAEA team of experts visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to conduct the first IAEA Management Systems Advisory Service (IMSAS) mission. (Photo: DNEC).
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted its first-ever management systems advisory service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 19 to 22 May 2025.
The IAEA Management Systems Advisory Service (IMSAS) was established to support newcomer countries in developing robust and effective nuclear infrastructure, in response to findings from the Agency’s Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) missions that highlighted inconsistencies in the implementation of management systems among countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes.
As part of the IAEA’s broader commitment to support countries in introducing nuclear power in their energy mix, IMSAS helps nuclear organizations develop and maintain management systems appropriate to the current phase of the nuclear power programme. A management system is a set of interrelated or interacting elements — including organizational structure, responsibilities, resources, and processes — established to achieve organizational objectives in an efficient and effective manner.
Saudi Arabia is embarking on a nuclear power programme as part of its strategy to transition towards a diversified energy sector and building national capabilities in advanced energy technologies, all as part of its Vision 2030. In support of this plan, Saudi Arabia is following the IAEA’s Milestones Approach and actively cooperates with the IAEA through a coordinated Integrated Workplan to support its nuclear infrastructure development.
In November 2024, Duwayhin Nuclear Energy Company (DNEC), which is designated as the owner/operator for the first nuclear power plant, requested the IAEA to conduct the IMSAS mission to review whether the current management system in DNEC is appropriate and adequate to support its current and planned activities.
During its review, the IMSAS team – comprised of four external experts from Hungary, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as three IAEA staff members – reviewed documentation and conducted technical discussions with the DNEC in Riyadh.
“The IMSAS team found that DNEC has a well-developed management system that effectively supports the organization in carrying out its current and future activities. We commend DNEC on the efforts undertaken to date to develop its management system, which will help support the safe and effective implementation Saudi Arabia’s nuclear power programme,” said Liliya Dulinets, Section Head of the IAEA Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section.
In its draft final report, issued at the closing session, the mission team identified four good practices by DNEC. These included the development of its management system using a structured, project-based approach that ensures effective planning and coordination; the clear documentation of governance and management frameworks, which provides staff with a solid understanding of roles and responsibilities; and the transition to a fully electronic management system to enhance accessibility and usability.
Two recommendations and four suggestions were also noted. These included opportunities for improvement related to enhancing the consistency of the management system documentation, formalizing the approach to process development, and elevating the level of ownership of the management system within the organization.
“Our objective in requesting the mission was to have the IAEA conduct a cold-eye review of how we manage our day-to-day operations, particularly our management system,” said Khalid Al Gazlan, DNEC CEO. “The results of the mission were excellent, and the recommendations and suggestions provided will greatly support our continuous improvement efforts. We remain committed to cooperating with the IAEA through the Integrated Work Plan across all phases of our project, to ensure the establishment of a competent Owner-Operator; we thank the IAEA and the IMSAS team for this constructive and productive mission. This mission was a testament that the Kingdom is moving confidently towards building a sustainable civil nuclear program, supported by national competencies and strong international partnership.”
The final mission report will be provided to DNEC within three months.
About IMSAS
IMSAS was established to support the review of management systems in countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes. It provides a structured approach for the self-assessment of the management systems of the regulatory body and owner/operator organization, as well as an independent review conducted by IAEA and international experts.
IMSAS missions help organizations develop and maintain effective management systems consistent with the current phase of the nuclear power programme. It assists these organizations in aligning their management systems with IAEA standards and international good practices to support the implementation of current and planned activities. Additionally, IMSAS enables the identification of strengths and weaknesses through a combination of self-assessment and independent review, providing recommendations for improvement and highlighting good practices.
The IAEA offers its Member States a wide array of review services. For the introduction of nuclear power, the Agency’s peer review service include, for example, the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) and the Stakeholder Engagement Advisory Service for Nuclear Power Programmes (SEAS).
Responding to the arrest of 75 people in a raid on a gathering described by police as a “gay party” in the Indonesian city of Bogor, near the capital city of Jakarta, Amnesty International Indonesia’s Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena said:
“This discriminatory raid on a privately rented villa is a blatant violation of human rights and privacy that exemplifies the hostile environment for LGBTI people in Indonesia. This gathering violated no law and posed no threat.
“The Indonesian authorities must end these hate-based and humiliating raids. No one should be subjected to arrest, intimidation or public shaming because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
“The police must immediately release all those arrested. Indonesia’s government must also take urgent steps to ensure accountability for human rights violations committed by the police, and work toward creating an environment where LGBTI individuals and their allies can live free from fear and harassment.”
Amnesty International is accusing successive UK governments of dismantling domestic safeguards against wrongful immigration decisions, forcing claimants to rely solely on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and then attacking Article 8 for the inevitable outcome: appeals allowed on Article 8 grounds rather than on previously established ministerial rules.
In two new briefings published today, Amnesty details how political decisions and media distortions have misled the public about the role of Article 8, stoking hostility, undermining justice, and paving the way for damaging legal reforms.
The briefings explain how post-2006 changes – including the removal of key protections in deportation decisions and the 2014 restriction of appeals to human rights grounds only – have made Article 8, the right to private and family life, the sole legal safeguard for many facing removal, even those with deep roots in the UK.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme Director, said:
“This is a classic Catch-22: governments dismantled their own safeguards, forcing people to rely on Article 8 and then blamed Article 8 for simply doing the job they required it to do.
“People threatened with exile from their homes, families and communities after years, decades, even lifetimes in the UK, are left with only Article 8 to defend them. Lawyers and judges have no choice but to centre legal cases on it.
“Article 8 has become a lightning rod for attacks on the European Convention, often based on myths that omit key facts or include absurd inventions about the significance of cats, chicken nuggets, or other nonsense.
“When governments respond by proposing to limit human rights law, they validate false narratives, and conceal their role in creating the crisis now threatening fundamental justice.
“We need leadership that tells the truth. Article 8 doesn’t block deportations; it blocks injustice. It says you can’t tear someone away from their child or partner without strong, proportionate reason. That’s not weakness. That’s decency. And it’s the law.
“But the Government could reduce the pressure on Article 8, by reinstating rules that recognise the complex human realities behind immigration cases.”
Not a loophole: Article 8 is the last line of defence
Until 2006, deportation decisions took account of a person’s full circumstances including their age, long residence, family ties, and community links. But successive governments stripped away these safeguards, leaving human rights, especially Article 8, as often the only meaningful legal basis for appeal.
Today, in most non-asylum immigration cases, Article 8 is the only legal protection left standing. For many, it’s the final barrier to unjust separation from loved ones.
Absurd myths, real consequences
Amnesty’s briefings expose how politicians and media figures have distorted judicial decisions misrepresenting rulings by highlighting trivial details and omitting core reasons. This creates the false impression that judges act irrationally or are out of touch.
Examples include:
Presenting irrelevant details (e.g. owning a pet, preferring a type of chicken nugget) as the basis for a ruling.
Selectively reporting parts of decisions to give a misleading impression.
One notorious case saw a former Home Secretary falsely claim that a man avoided deportation because of his cat. In fact, the real issue was his legally recognised relationship and the Home Office’s own failure to follow its policy.
These myths help justify bad legislation and rules that obscure the human impact of government policy and leave courts and Article 8 as the sole defence against injustice.
Yvette Cooper’s review must confront – not compound – misrepresentations
Amnesty is urging the Home Secretary to ensure that her review of Article 8’s role in immigration law starts with honesty and accuracy.
Successive governments created this dependency on Article 8 by stripping away other safeguards. Any serious review must acknowledge this history, not add to the misinformation.
Steve Valdez-Symonds said:
“The Government is at a crossroads. It can restore fair, domestic rules so people aren’t forced to rely solely on Article 8. Or it can continue the pattern of blaming the law for its own failures.
“If ministers choose the latter, they fuel false hostility and undermine public trust in human rights altogether. That path leads to the legal Wild West, where no one’s rights are safe.”
Amnesty’s recommendations
To restore fairness, integrity, and public confidence, Amnesty International UK is calling for:
Public correctionof misleading narratives about Article 8 and deportation;
Reinstatementof broader decision-making criteria including long residence, caregiving responsibilities, and community ties;
Repealof harmful laws, including:
Automatic deportation under the UK Borders Act 2007;
Appeal restrictions introduced in 2014;
Protection from deportation for people with a right to British citizenship, especially those born or raised in the UK;
Full and principled commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights in both policy and public messaging.
Amnesty International is accusing successive UK governments of dismantling domestic safeguards against wrongful immigration decisions, forcing claimants to rely solely on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and then attacking Article 8 for the inevitable outcome: appeals allowed on Article 8 grounds rather than on previously established ministerial rules.
In two new briefings published today, Amnesty details how political decisions and media distortions have misled the public about the role of Article 8, stoking hostility, undermining justice, and paving the way for damaging legal reforms.
The briefings explain how post-2006 changes – including the removal of key protections in deportation decisions and the 2014 restriction of appeals to human rights grounds only – have made Article 8, the right to private and family life, the sole legal safeguard for many facing removal, even those with deep roots in the UK.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme Director, said:
“This is a classic Catch-22: governments dismantled their own safeguards, forcing people to rely on Article 8 and then blamed Article 8 for simply doing the job they required it to do.
“People threatened with exile from their homes, families and communities after years, decades, even lifetimes in the UK, are left with only Article 8 to defend them. Lawyers and judges have no choice but to centre legal cases on it.
“Article 8 has become a lightning rod for attacks on the European Convention, often based on myths that omit key facts or include absurd inventions about the significance of cats, chicken nuggets, or other nonsense.
“When governments respond by proposing to limit human rights law, they validate false narratives, and conceal their role in creating the crisis now threatening fundamental justice.
“We need leadership that tells the truth. Article 8 doesn’t block deportations; it blocks injustice. It says you can’t tear someone away from their child or partner without strong, proportionate reason. That’s not weakness. That’s decency. And it’s the law.
“But the Government could reduce the pressure on Article 8, by reinstating rules that recognise the complex human realities behind immigration cases.”
Not a loophole: Article 8 is the last line of defence
Until 2006, deportation decisions took account of a person’s full circumstances including their age, long residence, family ties, and community links. But successive governments stripped away these safeguards, leaving human rights, especially Article 8, as often the only meaningful legal basis for appeal.
Today, in most non-asylum immigration cases, Article 8 is the only legal protection left standing. For many, it’s the final barrier to unjust separation from loved ones.
Absurd myths, real consequences
Amnesty’s briefings expose how politicians and media figures have distorted judicial decisions misrepresenting rulings by highlighting trivial details and omitting core reasons. This creates the false impression that judges act irrationally or are out of touch.
Examples include:
Presenting irrelevant details (e.g. owning a pet, preferring a type of chicken nugget) as the basis for a ruling.
Selectively reporting parts of decisions to give a misleading impression.
One notorious case saw a former Home Secretary falsely claim that a man avoided deportation because of his cat. In fact, the real issue was his legally recognised relationship and the Home Office’s own failure to follow its policy.
These myths help justify bad legislation and rules that obscure the human impact of government policy and leave courts and Article 8 as the sole defence against injustice.
Yvette Cooper’s review must confront – not compound – misrepresentations
Amnesty is urging the Home Secretary to ensure that her review of Article 8’s role in immigration law starts with honesty and accuracy.
Successive governments created this dependency on Article 8 by stripping away other safeguards. Any serious review must acknowledge this history, not add to the misinformation.
Steve Valdez-Symonds said:
“The Government is at a crossroads. It can restore fair, domestic rules so people aren’t forced to rely solely on Article 8. Or it can continue the pattern of blaming the law for its own failures.
“If ministers choose the latter, they fuel false hostility and undermine public trust in human rights altogether. That path leads to the legal Wild West, where no one’s rights are safe.”
Amnesty’s recommendations
To restore fairness, integrity, and public confidence, Amnesty International UK is calling for:
Public correctionof misleading narratives about Article 8 and deportation;
Reinstatementof broader decision-making criteria including long residence, caregiving responsibilities, and community ties;
Repealof harmful laws, including:
Automatic deportation under the UK Borders Act 2007;
Appeal restrictions introduced in 2014;
Protection from deportation for people with a right to British citizenship, especially those born or raised in the UK;
Full and principled commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights in both policy and public messaging.
It’s hard to miss the increasing debates around the word “gender”. The last few decades have seen historic gains in the struggle for equality of access to rights and opportunities for women and girls around the world. Though there is still a long way to go, some progress has been made towards recognizing the rights of LGBTI people.
Yet, a dangerous “anti-gender” backlash is spreading, threatening the human rights of millions of people globally. Misinformation and disinformation are being weaponized to use “gender” to attack everything from comprehensive sexuality education and sports to LGBTI rights and sexual and reproductive rights.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has welcomed today’s announcements regarding the situation in Iran and stressed the need for a resumption of the IAEA’s indispensable safeguards verification work in the country following a 12-day military conflict that severely damaged several of its nuclear sites.
In a letter to Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Abbas Araghchi, Director General Grossi also proposed that they meet soon.
“Resuming cooperation with the IAEA is key to a successful diplomatic agreement to finally resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities. I’ve written to Foreign Minister Araghchi stressing the importance of us working together and proposing to meet soon,” he said.
IAEA inspectors have remained in Iran throughout the conflict and are ready to start working as soon as possible, going back to the country’s nuclear sites and verifying the inventories of nuclear material – including more than 400 kg of uranium enriched to 60% – which they last verified a few days before the Israeli air strikes began on 13 June.
Even though the conflict interrupted safeguards inspections in the country, the IAEA has been closely monitoring the impact of the military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites at Arak, Esfahan, Fordow and Natanz as well as the possible consequences for human health and the environment, based on relevant information received from Iran’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
“As I have repeatedly stated – before and during the conflict – nuclear facilities should never be attacked due to the very real risk of a serious radiological accident,” Director General Grossi said.
“During these attacks, we have seen extensive damage at several nuclear sites in Iran, including its uranium conversion and enrichment facilities. Our assessment is that there has been some localized radioactive as well as chemical release inside the affected facilities that contained nuclear material – mainly uranium enriched to varying degrees – but there has been no report of increased off-site radiation levels,” he said.
Still, the IAEA is aware of concerns in the region regarding any radiological consequences as a result of the strikes on nuclear facilities.
“Based on the data available to us, the IAEA can provide assurances that there has been no radiological impact to the population and the environment in neighbouring countries. Crucially in terms of nuclear safety, Iran’s research and power reactors were not targeted,” Director General Grossi said.
In addition to the detailed assessment that Director General Grossi provided to the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday, the IAEA has identified additional impact points at nuclear sites at Fordow and Natanz as a result of strikes carried out before today’s announcements on the situation in Iran.
Regarding the additional strikes to Fordow that were reported early on Monday – after the U.S. bombing of the facility early on Sunday – the IAEA assesses that access roads close to the underground facility and one of its entrances were hit.
At Natanz, the IAEA has identified two impact holes from the U.S. strikes above the underground halls that had been used for enrichment as well as for storage. Based on its knowledge of what these halls contained, the IAEA assesses that this strike may have caused localized contamination and chemical hazards.
Exeter, UK – A scientific survey of two areas targeted for deep sea mining in the Pacific Ocean by The Metals Company has confirmed the presence of whales and dolphins, including sperm whales which are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The news comes as world governments are meeting in a few weeks at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), where the call for a moratorium on deep sea mining keeps growing.[1]
The survey, published today in the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science, was conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and Greenpeace Research Laboratories from Greenpeace International’s ship, Arctic Sunrise. Researchers studied two exploration blocks held by The Metals Company in the Pacific’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone, known as NORI-d and TOML-e.[2][3]
Dr Kirsten Young, Lead Study Author, University of Exeter said: “We already knew that the Clarion-Clipperton Zone is home to at least 20 species of cetaceans, but we’ve now demonstrated their presence in two areas specifically earmarked for deep sea mining by The Metals Company.”
Following President Trump’s approval of a deep sea mining Executive Order in April 2025, The Metals Company applied to the US government to give TMC unilateral permission to commercially mine the international seabed in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. According to reports, this application covers the NORI-d area.[4] This move bypasses and undermines the International Seabed Authority, the UN regulator for deep sea mining, and has been met with strong criticism from governments around the world. Scientists have previously warned of “long lasting, irreversible” impacts of deep sea mining on the region.[5]
Cetaceans are known to be impacted by noise pollution caused by humans, and could be impacted by the significant noise created by deep sea mining operations. These operations would also generate sediment plumes, which could further impact cetacean populations by disrupting deep ocean food systems.
Dr Kirsten Young continued: “While more research is needed to build a complete picture of the impact of the noise and sediment plumes on cetaceans, it’s clear that deep sea mining operations will negatively impact ocean ecosystems in areas far out to sea where monitoring is particularly challenging.”
The survey provides a 13-day snapshot of cetacean activity in these two deep sea mining exploration areas. Using hydrophones, the research team confirmed 74 acoustic detections of cetaceans. This included a sperm whale, Risso’s dolphins and common dolphins.
Louisa Casson, Greenpeace International senior campaigner, said: “The confirmed presence of cetaceans, including threatened sperm whales, in areas that The Metals Company is targeting for deep sea mining is yet another clear warning that this dangerous industry must never be allowed to begin commercial operations. The only sensible course of action for governments at next month’s International Seabed Authority meeting is to prioritise agreeing on a global moratorium.”
Calls for a moratorium on deep sea mining grew at the recent UN Ocean Conference, with four new countries joining the group supporting a moratorium, bringing the total to 37.[6] The UN Secretary General also issued a strong call to stop this dangerous industry. Momentum against deep sea mining will now be carried forward at the July ISA meetings.
[3] This study in the Pacific is mirrored by another recent piece of research in the Arctic by Greenpeace Nordic and Greenpeace Germany. Researchers found cetaceans, including deep-diving and noise-sensitive sperm whales and northern bottlenose whales, in an area earmarked for future mining. If the Norwegian government proceeds with deep sea mining in the area, noise and pollution risk severe consequences. Greenpeace Nordic researchers are in the Arctic right now further documenting the presence of cetaceans in the area to expose the risks of deep sea mining and to champion the protection of the Arctic’s vulnerable marine life.
Exeter, UK – 24.06.2025 – A scientific survey of two areas targeted for deep sea mining in the Pacific Ocean by The Metals Company has confirmed the presence of whales and dolphins, including sperm whales which are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The news comes as world governments are about to attend a meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) next month, with 37 governments already voicing their opposition to deep sea mining. The ISA is the intergovernmental body charged with regulating deep sea mining in international waters. It has a mandate to protect the oceans from harmful effects.
The survey is published today in the scientific journal, Frontiers in Marine Science. It was conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and Greenpeace Research Laboratories from Greenpeace International’s ship, Arctic Sunrise. It studied two exploration blocks held by The Metals Company in the Pacific’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone (known as NORI-d and TOML-e).
Dr Kirsten Young of the University of Exeter and lead author of the study said:
“We already knew that the Clarion-Clipperton Zone is home to at least 20 species of cetaceans, but we’ve now demonstrated their presence in two areas specifically earmarked for deep sea mining by The Metals Company.”
Following President Trump’s approval of a deep sea mining Executive Order in April, The Metals Company applied to the US government to give TMC unilateral permission to commercially mine the international seabed in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. According to reports, this application covers the NORI-d area. This bypasses and undermines the International Seabed Authority, the UN regulator for deep sea mining and has been met with strong criticism from governments around the world. Scientists have previously warned of “long lasting, irreversible” impacts of deep sea mining on the region.
Cetaceans are known to be impacted by noise pollution caused by humans, and could be impacted by the significant noise expected to be created by deep sea mining operations. These operations would also generate sediment plumes, which could impact cetacean populations by disrupting deep ocean food systems.
Dr Kirsten Young continued:
“While more research is needed to build a complete picture of the impact of the noise and sediment plumes on cetaceans, it’s clear that deep sea mining operations will negatively impact ocean ecosystems in areas far out to sea where monitoring is particularly challenging.”
The survey provides a 13-day snapshot of cetacean activity in these two deep sea mining exploration areas. Using hydrophones, the research team confirmed 74 acoustic detections of cetaceans. This included a sperm whale, Risso’s dolphins and common dolphins.
Louisa Casson of Greenpeace International said:
“The Metals Company’s plans to mine the seabed in the Pacific are not only a slap in the face for multilateralism and international law, science confirms they would expose some of our most iconic, charismatic and beautiful marine life to noise and other forms of pollution if allowed to go ahead.
“The confirmed presence of cetaceans, including threatened sperm whales, in areas that The Metals Company is targeting for deep sea mining is yet another clear warning that this dangerous industry must never be allowed to begin commercial operations.
“If these species are present in TMC licence areas, it’s highly likely they’re across others too, like those sponsored through UK Seabed Resources by the UK Government. We already know from documents obtained via freedom of information requests that minke whales have been observed in UKSR1.
“This is no time for the UK and other governments to continue futile discussions about a set of rules to allow deep sea mining to start. The only sensible course of action at next month’s International Seabed Authority meeting would be to prioritise agreeing on a global moratorium.”
This study in the Pacific is mirrored by another recent piece of Greenpeace research in the Arctic. Researchers found cetaceans, including deep-diving and noise-sensitive sperm whales and northern bottlenose whales, in an area targeted for future mining. If the Norwegian government proceeds with deep sea mining in the area, noise and pollution pose severe consequences. Greenpeace researchers are in the Arctic right now further documenting the presence of cetaceans in the area to expose the risks of deep sea mining and to champion the protection of the Arctic’s vulnerable marine life.
Calls for a moratorium on deep sea mining grew at the recent UN Ocean Conference, with four new countries joining the group supporting a moratorium, bringing the total to 37. The UN Secretary General also issued a strong call to stop this dangerous industry. Momentum against deep sea mining will now be carried forward to the July ISA meeting.
Responding to recurrent drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan that have killed at least 17 people, including five children, this year with the latest deadly strike on Friday, 20 June, Isabelle Lassée, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International said:
“Pakistani authorities have failed to take action to protect the lives and property of civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who continue to pay the price of an escalating number of drone strikes in the province. Last Friday’s drone strike, killing one child, is part of an alarming series of attacks which have escalated since March of this year.
“Use of drones and quadcopters to conduct attacks resulting in unlawful killing of civilians violates international law. Reports that the strikes have hit homes and volleyball games indicate a reckless disregard for civilian life.
“While Pakistani authorities have often denied responsibility for these attacks, they are obligated to conduct prompt, independent, transparent and effective investigations into these attacks and bring all those responsible to justice through fair trials. In cases where the Pakistani authorities are found to be directly responsible or where authorities failed to protect civilians from foreseeable threats, victims and families impacted in the strike must be provided with effective remedies, including compensation and other appropriate reparation.”
Last Friday’s drone strike, killing one child, is part of an alarming series of attacks which have escalated since March of this year.
Isabelle Lassée, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International
BACKGROUND:
Multiple drone strikes have taken place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, at least four of which have killed or injured civilians since March 2025.
The latest drone strike on 20 June resulted in the death of one child and left five others injured in Dashka, Makeen Tehsil, South Waziristan district. Earlier this year, on 29 March, a strike in Katlang, Mardan district killed at least 11 people. The provincial government, in a press note, acknowledged civilian casualties. On 19 May a strike in Hurmuz, Mir Ali, North Waziristan district killed four children and injured five others. The Pakistani authorities denied responsibility, accusing the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of carrying out the attack. On 28 May, a drone struck a volleyball match injuring 22 people, including seven children, in Wana, South Waziristan district. In September last year, a drone strike in Sararogha Tehsil, South Waziristan district killed one person and injured three others.
Drone strikes have been long part of “counterterrorism” efforts in Pakistan.
At least seven civilians killed and dozens injured in 3 June strike
Attacks using unguided Grad rockets must be investigated as war crimes
“Inherently inaccurate weapons must not be fired at areas densely populated with civilians” – Brian Castner
Civilians in Sumy city in Ukraine are under increased unlawful attacks as the Russian military increase strikes in the region, Amnesty International said today.
In Sumy city earlier this month, Russian forces fired unguided 122mm Grad rockets from a multiple rocket launch system (MRLS), killing at least seven civilians and injuring dozens more. These unguided munitions are inherently inaccurate and have wide area effects, and should therefore never be used in populated areas with civilians.
Sumy city centre, approximately 40 kilometres from the border with Russia, is home to an estimated 200,000 people, the vast majority civilians who have continued living there during Russia’s war of aggression. In recent weeks, Russia has captured several settlements in the region. The Russian military now appears to be within artillery range of Sumy city as they attempt to capture further territory.
Yehor Kryvoruchko / Kordon Media
Emergency services in the aftermath of the strike on Shevenchenko Avenue.
“Our research has shown how Grad rockets have caused death and destruction across a wide area of Sumy city. These indiscriminate attacks must be investigated as war crimes,” said Brian Castner, Amnesty International’s Head of Crisis Research.
“Russia’s continuing war of aggression has wreaked havoc on civilian life in Ukraine. Inherently inaccurate weapons must not be fired at areas densely populated with civilians.
“As the Russian military appears to be increasing attacks on Sumy and elsewhere across Ukraine, we again call for international humanitarian law to be respected. Civilians are not targets.”
Inherently inaccurate weapons must not be fired at areas densely populated with civilians.
Brian Castner, Amnesty International’s Head of Crisis Research
Amnesty International conducted remote interviews with nine people who witnessed strikes in Sumy on 3 June 2025. It also analyzed dozens of photos, videos and social media posts, including footage from the immediate aftermath of the strikes and photos of weapons fragments that confirmed the use of 122mm Grad rockets. Amnesty International visited five out of a reported seven impact locations to verify when and where a strike occurred.
According to recent data from the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, casualties from Russian attacks have increased significantly in Ukraine in recent months, particularly in regions closer to the front lines. According to Ukrainian authorities, the Russian military are carrying out between 80 to 120 shellings in Sumy Oblast per day.
MSF was forced to suspend activities in Libya on 27 March 2025 after the Internal Security Agency (ISA) of Libya closed our premises.
We are concerned for our former patients, including the migrants and refugees we were treating for tuberculosis.
We are willing to resume our activities in Libya should the safety of our staff and patients be guaranteed.
Two and a half months after the forced suspension of our activities by the Libyan authorities, following a wave of repression that affected ten humanitarian organisations present in the west of the country, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reaffirms our willingness to resume medical services and support to the Libyan authorities. We also remain concerned about the health of our former patients and the interruption of access to healthcare for people in Libya.
On 27 March 2025, MSF was forced to suspend our medical activities in the country, following the closure of our premises by the Internal Security Agency (ISA) of Libya and the interrogation of several of our team members. All MSF staff were released, but after the crackdown, we were forced to evacuate our international employees from Libya and to terminate the contracts of our Libyan staff.
Since mid-March, the ISA began summoning and interrogating the staff of international non-governmental organisations providing care to migrants and refugees in Libya.
“MSF is ready to resume the medical projects that were underway for tuberculosis, mental health and maternal health, for any patient in need of care, and in collaboration with the relevant Libyan authorities,” says Steven Purbrick, MSF head of mission for Libya. “Provided that the safety of our staff and patients is guaranteed, MSF calls for its suspension to be lifted.”
MSF had received no formal notification of the basis for the ISA actions and regrets this intimidatory crackdown which compromises access to medical care. We are deeply concerned with the consequences for patients’ health. We had treated migrants and refugees who are subjected to abuse and violence, with severe health consequences and acute medical needs. MSF’s referral mechanism to UNHCR or IOM to evacuate migrants and refugee patients identified as medical priority cases has now come to a halt.
Before the suspension of activities, MSF was treating a cohort of more than 300 Libyan, migrant and refugee patients, mostly for tuberculosis, antenatal care and psychological support, especially for survivors of violence. Some patients were in a critical situation. MSF managed to refer most of them to other facilities, such as the National Center for Disease Control, but also lost contact with several of them.
“Two of our tuberculosis patients died in Misrata immediately after our suspension. We hear that a further four other patients have since passed away in the same facility,” says Carla Peruzzo, medical coordinator for MSF in Libya. “We are very concerned about patients with chronic diseases like diabetic patients in need of insulin and people in need of dialysis, with kidney chronic disease.”
MSF was supporting the only public centre for tuberculosis patients in Libya. The tuberculosis unit was implemented by MSF within the Misrata Chest hospital in 2020.
Medications destined for donation to public hospitals were locked inside MSF’s premises, which we will now be obliged to destroy due to the loss of temperature control.
“The medical needs met by MSF are not always covered in Libya’s public health system, which faces structural challenges, such as understaffing and shortages of medication supply,” says Peruzzo. “A breakdown in tuberculosis treatment can lead to the development of a drug-resistant form of the disease, rapid deterioration in the patient’s state of health and even death.”
Over the years MSF had successfully developed a technical collaboration with the National Tuberculosis Program to reinforce capacities to detect cases in specialised facilities, review national guidelines of the central laboratory in Tripoli and support the department of health education. We are ready to continue our planned support to the National Tuberculosis Program and the rest of our medical activities in Libya.
MSF had been working in eastern and western Libya since 2011, providing essential healthcare, tuberculosis diagnosis and care, mental health support, and maternal health consultations.
In 2023, MSF provided emergency medical support following the flooding in Derna, supporting two healthcare centres and providing medical consultations to almost 5,000 people. MSF also provided mental health services after the disaster.
In 2024, MSF conducted over 15,000 medical consultations, 3,000 mental health consultations, and 2,000 consultations for tuberculosis.
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Ravenna, Italy – As Italy and much of Europe are entering the heatwave season with scorching temperatures already being recorded, 12 activists from seven countries are taking action with Greenpeace Italy against climate-wrecking fossil gas at the new liquefied gas import terminal of Ravenna. At sea, activists reached the infrastructure and attached large banners on it reading “Burn, baby, burn” referencing President Trump’s mantra “Drill, baby, drill” alongside an image of a burning Earth flanked by the faces of US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
At the same time, activists are protesting in kayaks holding a road sign depicting the choice EU leaders need to take between climate hell and a fossil-free future. The action targets Italy’s recent pledge to increase imports of liquefied fossil gas from the US. An alliance that deepens Europe’s fossil fuel dependence and vulnerability to political blackmail from Trump.[1]
Federico Spadini, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Italy said:“While the country scorches under record heat, Meloni chooses to side with Trump and sabotage Italy’s climate action. This toxic alliance puts Italy’s energy future in the hands of Trump and locks the country further into a dangerous gas dependency that fuels the climate crisis, drives up our energy bills and turns our homes into ovens.”
Italy is reportedly Europe’s fourth largest importer of liquefied fossil gas with Qatar and the US being the primary suppliers. Despite the fact that liquefied gas (LNG) imports fell by 12% in 2024 according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the Italian government has pushed for additional LNG import capacity with the new gas import terminal (FSRU) in Ravenna which started operations earlier this year.[2] The protest also comes in the middle of the Greenpeace campaign against oil and gas giants like the Italian ENI, the same company that launched a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) targeting Greenpeace Italy, Greenpeace Netherlands and Italian NGO ReCommon.[3]
“While Meloni is making dirty deals with Trump, ENI threatens to silence those who dare to speak out and advocate for a renewable energy future—putting profit before people, and deepening a toxic pattern of repression and fossil fuel dependence,” added Spadini.
Accelerating the transition to renewable energy is not only an environmental imperative; it is a matter of security, said campaigner Lisa Göldner, who is currently on board the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise on an expedition across Europe to expose the risks of fossil gas and to mobilise for a fossil-free energy future.[4]
Lisa Göldner, Greenpeace Germany campaigner with the EuropeanFossil-Free Futurecampaign said:“Every new gas import terminal, every new fossil gas purchase agreement is locking Europe further into a gas trap that threatens Europe’s security and independence. Fossil gas fuels the climate crisis and geopolitical conflict and makes Europe vulnerable to political blackmail. The EU must break free from its fossil fuel dependency and take control of its future by investing in a renewable, secure and peaceful energy system.”
“Rather than weakening methane regulations and handing a ‘free pass’ to US gas, as is currently being considered, EU leaders have to up their game: agree on a full phase-out of fossil gas by 2035 at the latest and ban all new fossil fuel projects in the EU.”[5]
Greenpeace is calling for a phase-out of fossil gas through a transition to renewable energy that allows everyone to meet their energy needs at a decent price, without harming people, the planet or the environment.
[4] Last weekend the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise was anchored in Venice where 650 people visited the ship and took action to stop fossil gas. On Monday, activists from the UK action group Everyone hates Elon and Greenpeace Italy took action in Venice just days before the high-profile wedding of billionaire Jeff Bezos. Greenpeace Italy’s protests this week are denouncing billionaire and corporate greed, as well as toxic political alliances and fossil fuel expansion – all of which are driving humanity deeper into climate chaos.
Today’s protest took place as Greenpeace’s Fossil-Free Future campaign carries out its ‘Stop Fossil Gas’ expedition across Europe. This year, the campaign is visiting several European countries aboard the iconic Arctic Sunrise to spark debate about Europe’s energy system; question its dependence on fossil gas; and promote a just and fair phase-out of fossil gas through a transition to renewable energy that allows everyone to meet their energy needs at a decent price, without harming people, the planet or the environment. Greenpeace is gathering support for a ban on all new fossil gas -and fossil fuel- infrastructure projects in the EU. The Fossil-Free Future campaign’s Open Letter to the EU and national governments has already gathered 80.000 signatures.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
In May 2025, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi visited Niger’s only radiotherapy centre, CNLC, in Niamey, accompanied by Minister of Public Health Garba Hakimi, Shaukat Abdulrazak, Director of the IAEA’s Division for Africa, and other senior government officials.
Cancer is a growing healthcare challenge in Niger, with over 11 000 new cases and more than 8800 cancer related deaths reported in 2022. Radiotherapy — a treatment needed in nearly half of all cancer cases — remains in short supply in the country, and even those who can afford access to it are let down by out-of-date equipment.
Through its Rays of Hope initiative, the IAEA is supporting efforts to strengthen radiotherapy services in Niger, aiming to expand access to cancer care where it is needed most.
Through the initiative, the IAEA supported Niger in establishing a new cancer treatment facility with state-of-the-art equipment including medical linear accelerator (LINAC), a computed tomography-simulator, an advanced treatment planning system, dosimetry equipment and related accessories.
The new equipment will help expand services for radiotherapy at Niger’s only public radiotherapy centre, which serves a population of 24 million people. Medical professionals will be able to treat tumours more accurately through the country’s new equipment, while sparing normal tissues and critical organs. More Nigerien cancer patients can also be treated locally without having to travel abroad for care.
“The presence of this machinery in our country will significantly enhance the quality of life for the people of Niger, as it will lead to a considerable decrease in treatment costs and medical evacuations”, said Abdourahamane Tchiani President of Niger.
President Zelenskyy visits Chatham House to discuss defence and reconstruction of Ukraine News release jon.wallace
The president discussed Ukraine’s military position, his hopes for the NATO summit, and more.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Chatham House on Monday 23 June as part of a trip to the UK that included meetings with King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. President Zelenskyy made the visit to discuss his country’s war effort and how to place additional pressure on Russia to end its war on Ukraine.
The president’s main purpose in meeting UK government officials was to discuss defence cooperation with the UK. But during his closed-door session at Chatham House, held under the Chatham House Rule, the president took questions from journalists, investors, foreign policy experts and policymakers, on Ukraine’s military and economic outlook, his hopes for the forthcoming NATO summit in the Hague, US relations, and his ambitions for a just peace in Ukraine.
In his discussion with Chatham House experts, the president also discussed the think tank’s significant work on planning for Ukrainian rapid recovery and post-war reconstruction.
Orysia Lutsevych, Head of Chatham House’s Ukraine Forum, said:
‘We were honoured to host the president today to better understand the evolution of the war and think together how Europe and Ukraine can join forces in defending against the Russian threat.
‘Chatham House’s Ukraine Forum closely follows current efforts to design an effective recovery framework and will take its new research on citizen-driven recovery to Rome’s Ukraine Recovery Conference in July.’
In his opening remarks, President Zelenskyy said:
‘It’s important to be here at Chatham House and first of all in the United Kingdom…British people helped Ukraine at the very beginning of this war and are standing with us today and I am very thankful for this. Today I want to thank Keir Starmer.’
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK Chief Executive said:
“Amnesty International is seriously concerned by the Home Secretary’s announcement that she intends to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. The UK has an overly broad definition of terrorism and proscribing a direct-action protest group like Palestine Action risks an unlawful interference with the fundamental rights of freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
“Terrorism legislation must always be treated with the highest degree of caution and restraint, as it allows the state to curtail due process and interfere with other human rights in ways that would violate international human rights law. Given the enormous consequences of proscription, such an interference with fundamental rights will only be lawful when it is provided by a clear law and is strictly necessary and proportionate in the sense that it is the only step capable of securing a legitimate aim.
“Clearly that is not the case when it comes to Palestine Action; the ordinary criminal law, accompanied by appropriate human rights protections, is more than capable of responding to direct action protesters of their kind. It should be remembered that proscribing Palestine Action not only makes membership of the organisation a criminal offence, through broadly worded speech offences such as ‘glorification’ it puts at risk the free speech rights of many other activists who are deeply concerned about the plight of Palestinians in the context of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“Government embarrassment at security breaches is no proper basis for excessive and disproportionate interferences with human rights. It is precisely this kind of unlawful government action that critics of the UK’s terrorism laws warned would come one day.”
Responding to the European Commission’s review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement which found ‘indications’ that Israel is breaching its human rights obligations, Eve Geddie the Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office said:
“Despite its timid wording, the European Commission finally states the obvious: Israel is breaching its human rights obligations under the Agreement. This is an indisputable fact that Amnesty International, international courts, UN bodies, independent experts, prominent Palestinian, Israeli and international NGOs, scholars, commentators and former diplomats have been saying for years.
“It is unforgivable that it took the EU so long to launch this review and disturbing to see the EU fail to set out any measures it plans to take against Israel. Every day the EU delays meaningful action, is a greenlight for Israel to continue its genocide in the Gaza Strip and unlawful occupation of the whole Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
“The EU and its member states have an obligation to ban trade and investment that could contribute to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and other grave violations of international law, including the crime against humanity of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.
“Now that they have determined there are ‘indications’ that Israel is breaching human rights, there is no excuse for inaction or delays. Every deal that EU member states do with Israel in the meantime, leaves them at risk of being complicit in Israel’s grave violations of international law, including genocide.
“Member states in favour of suspending the agreement must use all their diplomatic weight to ensure that opponents of the suspension, including Germany, fully understand the risk of complicity and the cruel toll on Palestinian lives of continued EU inaction. If the EU fails to live up to these obligations as a bloc, and seeks to shield itself from its clear legal obligations, its member states must unilaterally suspend all forms of cooperation that may contribute to violations of international law.”
Background
On 23 June 2025, the European Commission presented its review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to EU foreign ministers. The review found ‘indications’ that Israel is breaching its human rights obligations but did not present any measures for the EU to take in response.
Amnesty International has long called for a thorough, comprehensive, and credible review the Association Agreement in line with EU member states’ obligations to prevent trade and investment that contributes to maintaining Israel’s unlawful occupation of the OPT, as set out by the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 and obligations not to render aid or assistance to the commission of crimes under international law.
By Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International
As NATO states meet in the Hague this week, they face tough decisions that will impact the lives of millions, or even billions, around the world. If, as widely expected, they commit to increased defence spending in response to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine, they must ensure this is allied with strong commitments and actual measures to enhance protection of human rights and international humanitarian law.
Given the gravity of the crises engulfing the world and the need to seize every opportunity to demand that human rights protection be central to all responses, I will be representing Amnesty International at the NATO Public Forum that runs parallel to the summit, in which leaders and officials will engage with security experts, academics, journalists and NGOs.
Upon launching Amnesty’s annual report a few weeks ago, I declared it the strongest warning the organization has ever issued. There are more conflicts raging today than at any time since World War Two, inequality is rampant – both within and between states – and states are hurtling into an unchecked arms race, in the first place artificial intelligence-powered. Without concerted and comprehensive action from governments, this historic juncture will mutate into historic devastation.
The summit should result in a set of concrete measures to ensure that international humanitarian law is respected.
Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International
When NATO leaders sit down to discuss such challenges, they must carefully consider their responsibility to humanity.
Jerusalem – As international focus shifts to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, Israeli forces have ramped up their activities in the West Bank, Palestine. Increased military operations in Jenin, Nablus, and Tulkarem governorates, along with additional troop deployments, have led to heightened restrictions on Palestinians. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) warns that these actions exacerbate the already dire situation for Palestinians in the West Bank, who face significant barriers to accessing healthcare and essential services, especially since October 2023. MSF urges an immediate halt to measures that contribute to forced displacement and a system of annexation, including prolonged military presence, movement restrictions, demolitions, excessive use of force, and denial of basic services.
“On 13 June the Israeli forces raided my village in Tulkarem,” says Karim,* an MSF staff member in the West Bank. “They took over two residential buildings and turned them into military barracks, displacing the people who were living there. Since then, they have been patrolling the village regularly, conducting investigations, interrogations, arrests, searches, and detentions.”
“Over the past week, West Bank communities have seen their lives further controlled by an occupying power while the world looks away,” says Simona Onidi, project coordinator Jenin and Tulkarem. “This cannot continue.”
On 13 June, the day the escalations started, the Israeli authorities blocked all major Israeli checkpoints and road gates entrances to Hebron for four days. This forced people seeking medical care to cross between areas on foot, pushing critically ill people to walk long distances, taking the risk of being shot at, or being prevented from crossing at all.
“On 14 June, I tried to take my brother from Bethlehem to a medical appointment in Hebron – a trip that should take 25 minutes,” says Oday Al-Shobaki, MSF communications officer in the West Bank. “But due to the new Israeli restrictions, all main entrances and exits were closed. It took us three hours, and in the end, despite being very ill, he had to walk through a closed checkpoint on foot, like many others, which is not safe.”
MSF has suspended mobile clinics in Hebron and Nablus that provide mental health, sexual reproductive care, and basic healthcare due to these checkpoint closures and security concerns from the intensified military operations. In Jenin and Tulkarem, mobile clinics had to adapt working hours, running on some days, not others, because of Israeli forces’ presence in nearby villages. This has forced patients to rely on phone consultations.
Military operations and violent raids by the Israeli army have been going on for years in the West Bank. 2022 saw a then-record number of Palestinian deaths due to violence by Israeli forces or settlers. Since October 2023, Israeli forces have increased the number of coercive measures and use of extreme physical violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including severe movement restrictions, military raids, and systemic barriers to essential services.
In January 2025, the Israeli forces began the ‘Iron Wall’ military operation in northern West Bank, which is still ongoing. Violently emptying well-established camps and preventing anyone from returning, more than 42,000 people have been forcibly displaced and left without stable homes, and with limited access to food, water, and medical care.
“This latest wave of restrictions and violence over the last week, seems to be an opportunity for Israeli forces to entrench control, deepen the fragmentation of Palestinian communities, and further the system that the International Court of Justice has described as amounting to racial segregation and apartheid,” says Onidi. “We urge third states to move beyond words of condemnation and put real pressure on Israeli authorities to end excessive force and lift movement restrictions blocking access to essential services and humanitarian aid, and scaling up support for displaced and isolated communities across the West Bank.”
*name changed to protect our colleague’s identity.
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Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
Fire trucks and an emergency response helicopter are positioned to provide support during a national nuclear emergency exercise in Romania in October 2023. (Photo: C. Torres Vidal/IAEA)
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Romania will launch tomorrow, 24 June, the world’s largest and most complex international nuclear emergency exercise, simulating a severe accident at Romania’s Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant.
Such exercises are held every three to five years and are based on simulated events hosted by IAEA Member States.
Over two days, more than 75 countries and 10 international organizations will take part in the ConvEx-3 (2025)—a full-scale exercise designed to test global readiness for a nuclear or radiological emergency with cross-border consequences. Participation will occur both on-site in Romania and remotely from other countries.
As nuclear use expands globally, its success hinges on strong safety standards and constant vigilance, said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “This exercise is a clear demonstration of the international community’s commitment to protect people and the environment by working together, across borders and systems, when every minute counts.”
“Hosting ConvEx-3 is both a responsibility and an opportunity for Romania,” said Cantemir Ciurea-Ercău, President, National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN). “Two decades after we hosted the first ConvEx-3, we are proud to again contribute to strengthening global nuclear emergency preparedness. In today’s interconnected world, effective preparedness must transcend borders—this exercise reflects our shared commitment to safety, cooperation and transparency.”
Romania, bordering five countries, last hosted such an exercise in 2005. Cernavodă is the country’s only nuclear power plant, situated roughly 160 kilometres east of Bucharest, close to the Black Sea. During the 36-hour exercise, participants will simulate real-time decisions, emergency communications and international coordination under the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (Early Notification Convention) and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (Assistance Convention). These will include protective actions such as simulated evacuation and iodine distribution, public outreach and communication, medical response coordination, and the management of food and trade restrictions based on radiological assessments.
The IAEA will activate its Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) and test critical tools like the Unified System for Information Exchange (USIE), a secure platform for designated contact points from IAEA Member States, and the International Radiation Monitoring System (IRMIS) platform. Member States will also activate their national emergency centres, request or offer assistance, share monitoring data, and coordinate cross-border protective actions and messaging to their populations.
The ConvEx-3 (2025) was developed by SNN Nuclearelectrica and CNCAN, with international coordination by the Inter-Agency Committee on Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies (IACRNE), which includes the World Health Organization, World Meteorological Organization, European Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, INTERPOL and others.
About Convention Exercises
Convention Exercises, or ConvEx, are held to test the operational arrangements of the Early Notification Convention and the Assistance Convention. The goal is to evaluate and further improve the international framework for emergency preparedness and response. ConvEx are prepared at three levels of complexity:
ConvEx-1 is designed to test emergency communication links with contact points in Member States that need to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and to test the response times of these contact points.
ConvEx-2 is designed to test specific parts of the international framework for emergency preparedness and response, for example to rehearse the appropriate use of communication procedures; to practice procedures for international assistance; and to test the arrangements and tools used for assessment and prognosis in a nuclear or radiological emergency.
ConvEx-3 is a full-scale exercise designed to evaluate international emergency response arrangements and capabilities for a severe nuclear or radiological emergency over several days, regardless of its cause.
In response to a U.S. District Court Judge ordering Mahmoud Khalil to be released on bail, Amnesty International’s Americas Regional Director Ana Piquer said:
“After more than three months of unjust detention, Mahmoud Khalil has finally been granted his freedom to return home, embrace his wife, and hold his child. His detention was not only unnecessary, but emblematic of a broader effort by the Trump administration to suppress solidarity with Palestinian people and weaponize the immigration system. Mahmoud was targeted for exercising his human rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. All of these rights must be respected in the United States and around the world, without exception.
After more than three months of unjust detention, Mahmoud Khalil has finally been granted his freedom to return home, embrace his wife, and hold his child. His detention was not only unnecessary, but emblematic of a broader effort by the Trump administration to suppress solidarity with Palestinian people and weaponize the immigration system.
Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Americas Regional Director.
We remain deeply concerned by the escalating use of detention, intimidation, deportation, and disregard to right of due process, to silence protest and chill public debate in the United States. This is not just about one student, it is about the growing pattern of authoritarian practices by the Trump administration that undermine human rights. We urge the U.S. government to end the political targeting of students and other individuals based on their beliefs and to respect freedom of speech. Mahmoud’s detention is a stark reminder of the human rights that are at stake in the country, and we will continue to monitor his case.”
We urge the U.S. government to end the political targeting of students and other individuals based on their beliefs and to respect freedom of speech. Mahmoud’s detention is a stark reminder of the human rights that are at stake in the country, and we will continue to monitor his case.”
Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Americas Regional Director.
Venice, Italy – Activists from the UK action group Everyone hates Elon and Greenpeace Italy unfolded a giant 20x20m banner reading “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax” on Piazza San Marco, as Jeff Bezos is due to celebrate his reportedly multi-million wedding in the lagoon city this week.
A spokesperson from Everyone Hates Elon said: “As governments talk about hard choices and struggle to fund public services, Jeff Bezos can afford to shut down half a city for days on end just to get married. Just weeks ago he spent millions on an 11 minute space trip. If there was ever a sign billionaires like Bezos should pay wealth taxes, it’s this.”
Clara Thompson, Greenpeace campaigner, said: “While Venice is sinking under the weight of the climate crisis, billionaires are partying like there is no tomorrow on their mega yachts. This isn’t just about one person — it’s about changing the rules so no billionaire can dodge responsibility, anywhere. The real issue is a broken system that lets billionaires skip out on their fair share of taxes while everyone else is left to foot the bill. That’s why we need fair, inclusive tax rules, and they must be written at the UN.”
A tax on the super-rich would help to fund the necessary transition to a green and just future, fund affordable housing, cheaper public transport or home insulation. Greenpeace’s ship, the Arctic Sunrise, was anchored at the port of Venice last week-end to promote this transition and expose the damage the fossil fuel industry causes to the people and the planet.
Clara Thompson, EU Lead Campaigner People over Greed project, part of the Global Fair Share campaign, based at Greenpeace Germany, +49 1758530226, [email protected]
Christine Gebeneter, EU Communication Lead, People over Greed project, part of the Global Fair Share campaign, based at Greenpeace Central-and Eastern Europe, +43 664 8403807, [email protected]
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can confirm that the Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan have been hit, following U.S. aerial attacks overnight, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.
Based on an analysis of the information available to it, the IAEA assessed that there has been extensive additional damage at the sprawling Esfahan site, which had already been struck several times by Israel since it began targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities on 13 June, Director General Grossi said.
The IAEA had previously reported that several buildings at the Esfahan complex were damaged, some of which may have contained nuclear material.
“The latest attacks early this morning damaged other buildings in Esfahan. In addition, we have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,” Director General Grossi said.
The extent of damage to the Fordow uranium enrichment facility – built deep inside a mountain in central Iran – was not immediately possible to assess in view of its underground location and the penetrating nature of the bombs used.
“It is clear that Fordow was also directly impacted, but the degree of damage inside the uranium enrichment halls can’t be determined with certainty,” Director General Grossi said.
Iran’s other enrichment site, Natanz, which has previously been extensively damaged, was again attacked during the strikes last night with ground-penetrating munitions.
The Director General said the IAEA has been informed by the Iranian regulatory authorities that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels after the latest attacks on the three Iranian nuclear sites.
Director General Grossi stressed the paramount importance of the countries involved urgently embarking on a diplomatic path aimed at ending the hostilities.
This would also enable the IAEA to resume its crucial verification activities in Iran, including of its stockpile of more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium, which Agency inspectors last verified a few days before the military conflict began.
“We need to try to go back to the negotiating table as soon as possible. We have to allow the IAEA inspectors to return. The IAEA is ready to play its indispensable role in this process. We have been talking to Iran, we have been talking to the United States. We have to work for peace,” Director General Grossi said.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said he will call an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday in light of the “urgent situation” in Iran following the latest attacks on the country’s nuclear facilities.
“In view of the increasingly serious situation in terms of nuclear safety and security, the Board of Governors will meet in an extraordinary session tomorrow, which I will address,” Director General Grossi said.
The Director General said the IAEA has been informed by the Iranian regulatory authorities that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels after the recent attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Fordow uranium enrichment site.
“As of this time, we don’t expect that there will be any health consequences for people or the environment outside the targeted sites,” he said. “We will continue to monitor and assess the situation in Iran and provide further updates as additional information becomes available.”
According to the most recent information verified by the IAEA before the attacks on Iran began on 13 June, the three sites targeted by the United States – also including Esfahan and Natanz – contained nuclear material in the form of uranium enriched to different levels, which may cause radioactive and chemical contamination within the facilities that were hit.
As he did in his statement to the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Director General Grossi reiterated his call for military restraint and “indispensable work towards” a diplomatic solution.
“I have repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities should never be attacked,” he said.
There is a need for a cessation of hostilities so that the IAEA can resume its vital inspection work in the country, including the necessary verification of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, he added.
Director General Grossi also stressed the importance of a continued and timely exchange of information with Iran regarding issues related to nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The IAEA Board of Governors will convene a meeting at the Agency’s headquarters starting at 10:00 CEST on Monday, 23 June, in Board Room C, Building C, 4th floor, in the Vienna International Centre (VIC).
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has requested that a meeting of the Board be convened to consider the situation in Iran.
The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the meeting with an introductory statement, which will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website. The IAEA will provide video footage of the Director General’s opening statement here and will make photos available on Flickr.
Photo Opportunity
There will be a photo opportunity with the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and the Vice-Chair of the Board, Ambassador Caroline Vermeulen of the Kingdom of Belgium, before the start of the Board meeting, on 23 June at 10:00 CEST in Board Room C, in the C building in the VIC.
Accreditation
Journalists are requested to register with the Press Office by 08:00 CEST on Monday, 23 June. Please email press@iaea.org.
In Batasan, a small island in Bohol, there’s a classroom that floods at high tide.
No storm. No warning. Just the tide, arriving like a ghost that knows its way in.
It seeps through the cracks in the concrete, collects beneath plastic chairs, and wraps itself around the feet of children trying to sound out vowels. The water doesn’t knock. It doesn’t ask for permission. It comes because it always has, and it always will.
No one panics. They’ve seen it before, and they’ll see it again.
It isn’t treated like a disaster. It’s treated like an item pencilled into the schedule, part of the school day – that’s the real disaster.
We live in a country where children are expected to learn inside rooms that are slowly being reclaimed by the sea, not during an emergency but during regular class hours. Few people are losing sleep over it, much less people in power. There’s no breaking news, no mobilized task force, no viral outcry. Just another island community adjusting its posture around a reality others would find intolerable.
What does that tell us?
It tells us that inequality in the Philippines and in the global context isn’t just about who has money. It’s about whose suffering has been normalized. Whose classrooms are allowed to flood, whose futures are allowed to be interrupted, and whose cries can be met with silence.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reports that sea levels in the Philippines are rising at a rate of 5.7 to 7.0 millimeters per year, which is approximately double the highest global average rate of 2.8 to 3.6 millimeters per year. The children in Batasan aren’t just surrounded by the sea but have already become a part of it. And yet, our developmental frameworks still prioritize broadband speed and skyscrapers over seawalls and school repairs.
This is also not about weather anymore. This is about systems and how systems abandon people long before disasters arrive.
Batasan, like many island barangays, sits in a blind spot. Too small for national coverage, too remote for immediate aid and outrage from the rest of us. The residents have learned not to wait for help. They’ve learned to build lives around the absence of support.
And some have the gall to call that resilience. But let’s be honest: This isn’t resilience. This is adaptation forced by neglect.
When a child grows up thinking that a flooded classroom is just part of school life, then those in power haven’t just failed them logistically, but rather, failed them morally and philosophically.
How do we help Batasan? Or perhaps the question is whether we’ve decided it’s acceptable for us to let Batasan sink quietly. Whether we’re okay with some children sitting in clean, air-conditioned rooms, while others memorize multiplication tables with their ankles dipped in saltwater.
When a nation learns to tolerate injustice in silence, it teaches the next generation how to disappear quietly, how to vanish with dignity. However, dignity alone isn’t a solution; it’s often just the last thing people cling to before they are forgotten. And that reality should make us angry.
In the end, the problem goes beyond environmental. It’s rooted in structural decisions like how budgets are allocated, which priorities are upheld, and who is consistently left to survive in the margins while others remain complacent or keep pretending we are all making progress.
Genuine progress towards climate justice is possible if we are willing to think differently, build differently, and finally, listen. Classrooms do not have to keep flooding, and silence doesn’t have to be the only thing passed onto the next generation.
Charles Zander Deluna is a student and youth climate activist from Bohol. He is a volunteer for Greenpeace Philippines and has been involved in different climate campaigns and community work. His interest in climate action started after experiencing the impacts of Super Typhoon Odette (Rai), which inspired him to help protect the environment and support vulnerable communities.
You might want to check out Greenpeace Philippines’ petition called Courage for Climate, a drive in support of real policy and legal solutions in the pursuit of climate justice.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
A large nuclear complex in Esfahan has been targeted for a second time during Israel’s attacks on Iran over the past nine days, with several more buildings struck, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.
The site in central Iran was first hit on 13 June when four buildings were damaged: the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion facility, a reactor fuel manufacturing plant, and an enriched uranium metal processing facility under construction. No increase of off-site radiation levels was reported.
Based on information available to the IAEA today, six other buildings at the same site have now also been attacked: a natural and depleted uranium metal production facility which had not yet begun operations, a fuel rod production facility, a building with low-enriched uranium pellet production as well as a laboratory and nuclear material storage, another laboratory building, a workshop handling contaminated equipment and an office building with no nuclear material.
The same Esfahan complex includes a centrifuge manufacturing workshop that the IAEA earlier today reported had also been hit by Israel.
The facilities targeted today either contained no nuclear material or small quantities of natural or low enriched uranium, meaning any radioactive contamination is limited to the buildings that were damaged or destroyed.
“This nuclear complex in Esfahan – one of the key sites of the Iranian nuclear programme – has repeatedly been attacked and extensively damaged. Based on our analysis of the nuclear material present, we don’t see any risk of off-site contamination. Nevertheless, as I have repeatedly stated, nuclear facilities should never be attacked,” Director General Grossi said.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
(As prepared for delivery)
Attacks on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran have caused a sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security in Iran. Though they have not so far led to a radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger this could occur.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has been monitoring closely the situation at Iran’s nuclear sites since Israel began its attacks a week ago. As part of its mission, the IAEA is the global nerve centre for information on nuclear and radiological safety, and we can respond to any nuclear or radiological emergency.
Based on information available to the IAEA, the following is the current situation at Iran’s nuclear sites. Which I offer as a follow up to my most recent report to this Security Council.
The Natanz enrichment site contains two facilities. The first is the main Fuel Enrichment Plant. Initial attacks on the 13th of June targeted and destroyed electricity infrastructure at the facility, including an electrical sub-station, the main electric power supply building, and emergency power supply and back-up generators. On the same day, the main cascade hall appears to have been attacked using ground-penetrating munitions.
The second facility at Natanz is the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant. It consists of aboveground and underground cascade halls. On the 13th of June the above-ground part was functionally destroyed and the strikes on the underground cascade halls were seriously damaging.
The level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels, indicating no external radiological impact on the population or the environment.
However, within the Natanz facility there is both radiological and chemical contamination. It is possible that Uranium isotopes contained in Uranium Hexafluoride, Uranyl Fluoride and Hydrogen Fluoride are dispersed inside the facility. The radiation, primarily consisting of alpha particles, poses a significant danger if inhaled or ingested. This risk can be effectively managed with appropriate protective measures, such as using respiratory devices. The main concern inside the facility is chemical toxicity.
Fordow is Iran’s main enrichment location for enriching uranium to 60%. The Agency is not aware of any damage at Fordow at this time.
At the Esfahan nuclear site, four buildings were damaged in last Friday’s attack: the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion plant, the Tehran reactor-fuel manufacturing plant, and the enriched uranium metal processing facility, which was under construction.
No increase of off-site radiation levels was reported. As in Natanz, the main concern is chemical toxicity.
The Khondab Heavy Water Research Reactor under construction in Arak, was hit on the 19th of June. As the reactor was not operational and did not contain any nuclear material, no radiological consequence is expected. The nearby Heavy Water Production Plant is also assessed to have been hit, and similarly no radiological consequence is expected.
As stated in the IAEA’s update of the 18th of June, at the Tehran Research Center, one building, where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested, was hit. At the Karaj workshop, two buildings, where different centrifuge components were manufactured, were destroyed. There was no radiological impact, internally or externally.
Let me now refer to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. This is the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences of an attack could be most serious. It is an operating nuclear power plant and as such it hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material. Countries of the region have reached out directly to me over the past few hours to express their concerns, and I want to make it absolutely and completely clear: In case of an attack on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment.
Similarly, a hit that disabled the only two lines supplying electrical power to the plant could cause its reactor’s core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment. In their worst-case, both scenarios would necessitate protective actions, such as evacuations and sheltering of the population or the need to take stable iodine, with the reach extending to distances from a few to several hundred kilometres. Radiation monitoring would need to cover distances of several hundred kilometres and food restrictions may need to be implemented.
Any action against the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor could also have severe consequences, potentially for large areas of the city of Tehran and its inhabitants. In such a case, protective actions would need to be taken.
I will continue to provide public updates about the developments at all these sites and their possible health and environmental consequences.
The Agency is, as madame Undersecretary kindly reminded, and will remain present in Iran and inspections there will resume, as required by Iran’s safeguards obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement, as soon as safety and security conditions allow.
In this context, let me restate that the safety of our inspectors is of utmost importance. The host country has a responsibility in this regard, and we expect every effort to be made to ensure that their security and their communication lines with the IAEA headquarters will be maintained.
As stated in my most recent report to the Agency’s Board of Governors and based on inspections conducted at the relevant facilities since then, Iran’s uranium stockpiles remain under safeguards in accordance with Iran’s comprehensive safeguards agreement. You may recall that more than 400kg of this stockpile is uranium enriched up to 60% U-235. It is essential that the Agency resumes inspections as soon as possible to provide credible assurances that none of it has been diverted.
Importantly, any special measures by Iran to protect its nuclear materials and equipment must be done in accordance with Iran’s safeguards obligations and the Agency.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance that the Agency’s inspectors are allowed to verify that all relevant materials, especially those enriched to 60%, are accounted for. Beyond the potential radiological risks, attacks on such materials would make this effort of course more difficult.
Madame President,
The IAEA has consistently underlined, as stated in its General Conference resolution, that armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place, and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.
I therefore again call on maximum restraint. Military escalation threatens lives and delays indispensable work towards a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.
Madame President,
The presence, support, analysis and inspections of technical experts are crucial to mitigating risks to nuclear safety and security – that is true during peacetime and even more so during military conflict.
For the second time in three years, we are witnessing a dramatic conflict between two UN and IAEA Member States in which nuclear installations are coming under fire and nuclear safety is being compromised. The IAEA, just as has been the case with the military conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, will not stand idle during this conflict.
As I stated in this chamber just a few days ago, I am ready to travel immediately and to engage with all relevant parties to help ensure the protection of nuclear facilities and the continued peaceful use of nuclear technology in accordance with the Agency mandate, including by deploying Agency nuclear safety and security experts, in addition to our safeguards inspectors in Iran, wherever necessary.
For the IAEA to act, a constructive, professional dialogue is needed. I urge the Members of this Council to support us in making it happen sooner rather than later.
The IAEA must receive timely and regular technical information about affected nuclear facilities and their respective sites. I urge in this regard the Iranian regulatory authorities to continue a constructive dialogue with the IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre, which has been operating 24/7 since the beginning of this conflict.
Nuclear facilities and material must not be shrouded by the fog of war.
Yesterday there was an incorrect statement to the media by an Israeli military official that Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant had been attacked. Though the mistake was quickly identified and the statement retracted, the situation underscored the vital need for clear and accurate communication, and the Agency’s unique role in providing it in a technically accurate and politically impartial way is obvious.
Let me conclude by assuring the international community of the IAEA’s continued support at this very grave time.
A diplomatic solution is within reach if the necessary political will is there. Elements for an agreement have been discussed. The IAEA can guarantee, through a watertight inspections system, that nuclear weapons will not be developed in Iran. They can form the basis of a long-standing agreement that brings peace and avoids a nuclear crisis in the Middle East. This opportunity should not be missed. The alternative would be a protracted conflict and a looming threat of nuclear proliferation that, while emanating from the Middle East, would effectively erode the NPT and the non-proliferation regime as a whole.
The first months of any administration are often dedicated to setting the tone of what constituents can expect for the next four years. For Trump’s second term, that message is clear: let it all burn.
Drastic agency cuts, reckless executive orders, and blatant industry giveaways promise devastating immediate and long-term consequences for our oceans, our climate, and our communities.
Dismantling climate defense
NOAA, the nation’s premier science agency for understanding, monitoring, and protecting our oceans, atmosphere, and climate, plays an essential role in safeguarding ecosystems and communities. Its data, forecasts, scientific expertise, and stewardship also support major sectors like tourism, transportation, food, and retail that rely on NOAA’s services to operate safely, efficiently, and sustainably.
Yet the Trump Administration has moved aggressively to gut NOAA’s capacity–firing scientists, defunding critical research, and shutting down its extreme weather database, a vital tool that has tracked the financial toll of climate disasters since the 1980s. These cuts come as extreme weather events are becoming more intense and frequent. In 2024 alone, Americans faced at least $182.7 billion in damages from 27 weather and climate disasters. Undermining NOAA’s ability to forecast threats, inform the American and global public, and support disaster response endangers lives while ensuring greater loss and damage, higher costs, and deep suffering as the climate crisis accelerates.
Among NOAA Fisheries’ vital programs is the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), the nation’s primary line of defense against seafood linked to fraud,forced labor, and environmental harm. With more than 80% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. imported and the global seafood supply chain riddled with these problems, SIMP plays a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of what ends up on American plates. Cuts to NOAA directly harm domestic fisheries as well, which rely on the agency to provide weather and pollution alerts.
These efforts have been further supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), whose programs help combat child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking around the world.
So while Americans have made it clear that they want to know where their food comes from and to trust that it is safe, ethical, and sustainable, the Trump administration is undermining the very systems that deliver these safeguards. By weakening SIMP and cancelling $500 million in ILAB grants, it is putting seafood workers at greater risk of abuse and exploitation, and exposing Americans to products tainted by these harms.
Endangering ocean futures
While more countries move towards a ban, moratorium, or pause on deep sea mining, the Trump Administration is charging in the opposite direction– reviving a cold war-era law, the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, to launch an unnecessary industry that threatens irreversible harm to fragile ecosystems we are only beginning to understand.
Trump’s executive order “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” directs federal agencies to fast-track permits for seabed mining in both U.S. and international waters. Widely condemned as environmentally reckless and politically explosive, the move is a direct attempt to sidestep the International Seabed Authority (ISA)—the UN body charged with protecting the deep ocean as the “common heritage of humankind.” In doing so, it threatens to unravel global cooperation, weaken environmental oversight, and set a dangerous precedent for the exploitation of one of Earth’s last untouched frontiers. The order, while lining up another ‘get richer scheme’ for the billionaire broligarchy, also ignores calls from over 35 countries for a moratorium, disregards the voices of Pacific Island communities, and pushes forward despite overwhelming ecological, legal, and moral objections.
The push is further reinforced by a pair of sweeping executive orders that aim to bulldoze environmental safeguards in the name of “energy dominance.” One declares a so-called “national energy emergency,” suspending key regulatory safeguards under bedrock environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Water Act.
Together, these orders will not just fast-tack deep sea mining but also accelerate offshore drilling, fracking infrastructure, and fossil fuel exports. This isn’t just deregulation—it’s a declaration of open season on the ocean.
All this comes as cobalt and nickel prices are plummeting, further undermining the already shaky economic case for mining the seafloor. Meanwhile, safer, cleaner, and more cost-effective alternatives, such as mineral recycling and domestic refining efforts, many of which are backed by the U.S. Department of Defense, are gaining momentum. But instead of investing in these sustainable solutions, the White House is reaching into the past to gamble with the future of our oceans and our planet.
‘Unleashing’ America’s fishing industry into collapse
At the same time, the earlier-mentioned cuts to NOAA will also hurt domestic fishing by leaving fishers without vital scientific insight needed for planning and responding to changing ocean conditions. This approach paves the way for overfishing and fishery collapse–again, directly contradicting the Trump Administration’s stated goal of supporting American fishing communities.
Scientists agree that protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 is essential to help marine ecosystems recover and thrive. When fish populations collapse, so do fishing jobs and fishing communities. Yet with these actions, the Trump Administration is again steering the US in the wrong direction—sidelining science, sustainability, and long-term economic resilience by jeopardizing the entire industry and the coastal communities it supports.
At the same time, the Administration issued yet another executive order, accompanied by a 36-page report, aimed at “bringing America back” to plastic straws. So, while more Americans struggle to make ends meet, they can be sure of one thing: there will be plenty of microplastics to go around.
Plastics are not just a pollution problem; they are a public health crisis. Over 3,200 chemicals in plastics have been linked to a host of serious health conditions, including cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive problems, metabolic changes, obesity, premature births, neurological disorders, and learning disabilities. Toxic chemicals in plastic already cost Americans nearly $250 billion in healthcare expenses each year.
And that burden is not shared equally. BIPOC and low-income communities face disproportionate exposure to pollution from plastic production, disposal, and incineration infrastructure, which are often located in or near their communities. These facilities poison the air, the water, and their bodies. While oil and gas companies rake in record profits and their billionaire CEO’s grow richer, these communities and working families across America are left paying the price.
Voters across the political spectrum – Democrats and Republicans alike– support strong action to reduce plastic pollution and protect public health. Yet, without pause at the staggering irony, the Trump Administration is slashing Medicaid, gutting personnel and budget from the Department of Health and Human Services, and increasing our exposure to toxic plastic— all while touting a “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. But even in an era of “alternative facts” and the attempted erasure of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the truth is impossible to ignore. There is nothing left to sacrifice.
Time to resist
While the pace and scale of recent changes can seem overwhelming, it is worth remembering that part of this administration’s strategy is to flood the zone and try to get ahead of legal challenges and other obstacles to their agenda. The Trump Administration, like the “tech bros” who fell in line behind the President, is moving fast and breaking things. But there is growing resistance to their actions. In the last few weeks, especially, the number of new and successful legal challenges has been growing, with some law firms and academic institutions pushing back against the administration’s demands. This includes EarthJustice, Greenpeace, and allies in a joint litigation against Trump’s attempt to continue offshore drilling.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans—across generations, faiths, races, genders, and political ideologies—have been hitting the streets to defend their human rights, their environment, and their democracy. These peaceful protests have made one thing clear: We will not be silenced. We won’t back down. We won’t stop defending our communities in the face of government corruption and corporate greed.
The Iranian authorities must halt all plans to carry out arbitrary executions and protect all those arrested over accusations of espionage for Israel from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, Amnesty International said today.
Since Israel’s attacks on Iran began on 13 June, Iranian authorities have arrested scores of people over accusations of “collaboration” with Israel, made chilling calls for expedited trials and executions, and executed one man on 16 June.
There are also grave concerns for those who were already on death row, including at least eight men sentenced to death for such accusations following unfair trials.
“Official calls for expediated trials and executions of those arrested for alleged collaboration with Israel show how the Iranian authorities weaponize the death penalty to assert control and instil fear among the people of Iran. The authorities must ensure all those detained are protected from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and afforded fair trials at all times, including during armed conflict,” said Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and it should not be used under any circumstances. Its use for espionage or other related offences that do not involve intentional killing is particularly prohibited under international law. A rush to execute people after torture-tainted ‘confessions’ and grossly unfair trials would be a horrifying abuse of power and a blatant assault on the right to life. The authorities must immediately halt all plans to carry out further executions or to impose death sentences and urgently establish a moratorium on all executions.”
The authorities must ensure all those detained are protected from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and afforded fair trials at all times, including during armed conflict
Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for MENA
Alarming calls for expedited trials and executions
Fears of arbitrary executions have mounted following alarming official statements,reviewed by Amnesty International, announcing scores of arrests across the country for alleged “espionage” or “collaboration” with Israel, along with orders for expedited trials and executions.
On 15 June, the Head of Iran’s Judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje’i, instructed the country’s Prosecutor General and provincial prosecutors to punish “elements who disturb the peace and security of the people” or “collaborate” with Israel. He said expedited proceedings will “deter” people and ordered individuals be tried, convicted, and punished “extremely quickly.”
The same day, the Supreme Council of National Security, Iran’s highest decision-making body, announced that so-called actions “in favour of Israel would be met with a decisive response and the harshest punishment” of execution under the charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz), which incur the death penalty under Iranian law.
The statement explained that the actions, which the Supreme Council of National Security deems as falling under these two capital charges, include efforts to: “legitimize or sanitize the image of the Zionist regime”; “disseminate rumors or false information”; “incite or encourage individuals or groups to act against national security”; or “sow division among the segments of society, ethnicities, and religious sects of the country”.
The statement underscores long-standing concerns about the overly broad charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz), which under Iranian law permit use of the death penalty to punish the exercise of the right to freedom of expression, which should never be criminalized, and for internationally recognizable offences such as espionage that, while criminal, do not meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” involving intentional killing required under international law for the application of the death penalty.
On 17 June 2025, Iran’s parliament also approved a motion to fast-track a bill which facilitates greater use of the death penalty for “espionage” or “cooperation with hostile governments”, including Israel and the United States. Currently, the punishment for the charge of espionage is imprisonment; therefore, to pursue the death penalty, prosecutors must combine various different acts to argue that they collectively amount to “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz). Under this bill, “espionage” or “cooperation with hostile governments” will automatically fall under the charge of “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz) and incur the death penalty.
Given the Iranian authorities’ long and harrowing record of violating the rights of those detained on national security charges, Amnesty International renews its urgent calls on them to ensure that all those recently arrested are protected from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment. All people deprived of their liberty must be granted access to lawyers of their choosing from the time of arrest and provided fair trials in line with international law, without resort to the death penalty. Those detained for their peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression must be released immediately and unconditionally.
Heightened risk of execution for those already on death row
Following the execution of one man, Esmail Fekri, on 16 June, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj, Alborz province, after a grossly unfair trial, Amnesty International is concerned that in a misguided attempt to project strength, the authorities may execute at least eight other individuals sentenced to death in separate cases on accusations of espionage or collaboration with Israel following grossly unfair trials.
Amongst them is Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali, held in Tehran’s Evin prison, who has been arbitrarily detained since 2016. A Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death for “corruption on earth” (efsad-e fel-arz) in October 2017 following a grossly unfair trial based on forced “confessions” made under torture and other ill-treatment, including threats to execute him and kill or otherwise harm his family.
Others at risk include Afshin Ghorbani Meyshani, Azad Shojaei, Edris Aali, and Iraqi national Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, all held in Urumieh Central prison, West Azerbaijan province; Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh, held in Ghezal Hesar prison, Alborz province; Rouzbeh Vadi, held in Evin prison, Tehran province; and Shahin Basami, held in Adel Abad prison, Fars province.
Ahmadreza Djalali, Afshin Ghorbani Mishani, Azad Shojaie, Edris Aali, and Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh are all at imminent risk of execution as the Supreme Court has upheld their death sentences.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty without exception, regardless of who is accused, the nature or circumstances of the crime, guilt or innocence, or the method of execution.
Background
Since the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran began on 13 June, at least 224 people have been killed in Iran, including 74 women and children according to an Iranian government spokesperson. Meanwhile, at least 24 people, including women and children, have been killed in Israel, according to the Israeli Military Home Front.