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Since the conflict in the Middle East started on February 28, then International Maritime OrganizationThe IMO, has verified 80 attacks on international shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
This resulted in the deaths of at least 22 sailors and the injury of many others.
In the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, dozens of fatalities have been reported due to attacks on international shipping in recent months, although the exact number is difficult to verify.
Attacks in the Red Sea have also resumed, with four fatalities confirmed in the latest Houthi attack on a merchant ship on August 11, the UN agency said.
Here’s Roel Hoenders, IMO Chief of Staff:
“In addition to endangering the lives of sailors, attacks on merchant ships also have a devastating impact on global supply chains and communities around the world. – And let’s not forget that 22 crew members have been killed since the conflict in the Middle East began on February 28.”
Mr Dominguez stressed that in the Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, “it is not just one country that attacks merchant ships”.
The UN human rights chief warned that democracy was almost lost in Nicaragua
Democracy in Nicaragua is being dismantled at an alarming rate UN Human Rights Chair warned on Wednesday, when a new report detailed increasing political repression, arbitrary arrests and the silencing of critics.
When presenting his findings, Volker Türk said power was increasingly concentrated in the hands of the executive and the ruling party.
“This report traces nearly every state institution taken over by the ruling party,” he said, describing a pattern of “systematic abuse of power” that has eroded checks and balances and left many people without protection when their rights are violated.
“This situation is completely untenable,” he added.
Basic rights are being dismantled
The report covers the period June 2025 to June 2026 and paints a picture of a country where independent political activity has almost disappeared. The report warned that proposed constitutional changes could prevent organized opposition groups from contesting future elections and extend the presidential term by seven years.
According to the report, authorities also continued to use arbitrary detention as a tool against dissent. At least 46 people reportedly remained in detention at the end of the reporting period, while UN investigators documented ongoing cases of enforced disappearances and deaths in custody.
Mr Türk called on the Government to immediately release anyone detained without legal basis.
The report also highlights the ongoing crackdown on civil society and the media. More than 5,500 organizations have been disbanded over the past eight years, and at least 56 media outlets have been closed.
“There is almost nothing left to close,” said the High Commissioner.
He urged Nicaraguan authorities to change course and re-engage with regional and international human rights bodies.
AI’s role in ‘denial’ trend must stop, human rights experts say
That Human Rights Council has called on governments everywhere to fight the growing trend of so-called “denial” politics, which often features denial of genocide and other crimes against humanity.
Speaking at the council in Geneva, independent human rights expert Bernard Duhaime noted the recent wave of denials by government officials, politicians and other actors around the world.
Rapporteurs and other independent experts appointed by the council are not UN staff and do not receive salaries for their work.
Countries must actively counter any attempts to glorify those responsible for crimes against humanity, especially considering the rise of social media and AI systems that amplify denial, Duhaime stressed:
“We live in dangerous times when ideologues and warmongers seek to foment polarization, hatred, and chaos for their own political gain. This is an opportune time to remind them of our collective commitment to human rights, accountability, and the rule of law.”
Mr Duhaime, who works in an independent capacity, is tasked by the Human Rights Council with promoting truth, justice, reparation and the non-recurrence of crimes.
Delivering his report to the 47 Council Member States, he called on all countries to be wary of “politicians and corporate actors who seek to weaponize freedom of expression” and “manipulate history for political or other ideological ends”, while inciting violence and silencing dissenting voices.
“Denialism” is increasingly being used to undermine justice for vulnerable groups by spreading divisive narratives, Duhaime said, explaining that the trend risks eroding democratic institutions and accountability by replacing truth with “emotionally charged narratives”.
While government oversight is key to fighting backers of denial, the independent human rights expert warned that “in many cases” national laws have become “a tool of restriction and denial.”
“Fighting denial should not be used as an excuse for censorship or repression,” Duhaime told the Council.
