Weekly News Recap (26 October - 1 November 2026)
© Photo by Submarine Group Ten via Flickr
International Justice Section
US: Supreme Court Denies Emergency Stay Request Over Immigration Administrative Closure Rule
India: High Court Temporarily Suspends ‘Leave India Notice’ Issued to Actor Imran Khan
Australia: Supreme Court of Victoria Upholds Prison Vegemite Ban on Security Grounds
US: Federal Court Convicts Rwandan-American of Lying About Involvement in Rwandan Genocide
US: Federal Court Rejects DOJ Request to Set Aside California Mail-in Ballots
Tunisia: Court Sentences Journalist to Four Years on Terrorism Charges
International Peace & Security Section
Ukraine: UN Commission of Inquiry Finds International Law Violations by Russia
UN: Secretary-General’s Annual Report Highlights Deadly Toll of Global Conflict on Women and Girls
UN: Security Council Debates Iran Sanctions as IAEA Says it Cannot Verify Nuclear Material
Yemen: Over 281,000 Displaced as Road Damage Restricts Aid to Taiz
Sudan: UN Mission Warns of Record Drone Attacks and Mass Detention in El Obeid
Brazil: HRW Report Finds Police Misconduct During Deadly Raid Last Year
Somalia: UN Mission Closing Amid Ongoing Political Dispute
International Justice Section
US: Federal Court Rules Trump Administration’s Dismissal of Former Federal Prosecutor Unconstitutional
On 26 October 2026, the US District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the Trump administration’s dismissal of former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey was unconstitutional and violated the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA). The court found that the government had failed to establish the statutory grounds required for her removal and had not provided the procedural protections guaranteed under 5 U.S.C. § 7513, including advance written notice and an opportunity to respond. Judge Jesse Furman rejected the government’s argument that the CSRA’s protections conflicted with the President’s removal authority under Article II of the Constitution, relying on longstanding Supreme Court precedent concerning congressional limits on the removal of certain executive officials. The court retroactively reinstated Comey and awarded her back pay for the period between her dismissal in July 2025 and December 2025, when she accepted another position.
US: Supreme Court Denies Emergency Stay Request Over Immigration Administrative Closure Rule
On 27 October 2026, the US Supreme Court denied an emergency application seeking to reinstate a 2024 federal regulation that allowed immigration judges to temporarily pause deportation proceedings through administrative closure. The regulation had been vacated nationwide under a consent judgment entered by the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas in litigation brought by Texas against the federal government. The application was filed by the cities of Baltimore, Columbus, and New Haven, together with legal-aid organisation Centro Legal de la Raza, which argued that the judgment had been entered through collusive litigation and without genuine adversarial proceedings. The Supreme Court’s unsigned order left the nationwide vacatur in place while the underlying appeal continues before the Fifth Circuit.
India: High Court Temporarily Suspends ‘Leave India Notice’ Issued to Actor Imran Khan
On 27 October 2026, the Bombay High Court directed that a ‘Leave India Notice’ issued to Bollywood actor Imran Khan be kept in abeyance until 2 November, temporarily preventing its enforcement. The notice, issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer in Mumbai on 14 October, required Khan, a US citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, to leave India by 28 October. Khan challenged the directive, arguing that it had been issued without a prior hearing and without adequately explaining the alleged legal violations arising from his attempted participation in protests against the Election Commission’s electoral roll revision exercise. The division bench adjourned the proceedings after the Additional Solicitor General sought further time. The court’s interim direction preserves the position pending the next hearing without determining the substantive legality of the notice.
https://www.thequint.com/news/breaking-news/bombay-high-court-interim-relief-imran-khan-notice
Australia: Supreme Court of Victoria Upholds Prison Vegemite Ban on Security Grounds
On 27 October 2026, it was reported the Supreme Court of Victoria rejected a prisoner’s human rights challenge to the longstanding ban on Vegemite in Victorian prisons. The applicant, Andre McKechnie, argued that the restriction infringed his right under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act to enjoy his culture as an Australian. Judge Claire Harris acknowledged that the ban limited his cultural rights but found that the restriction was demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society, considering the importance of prison security, good order, and prisoner welfare. The court also rejected his argument that the prohibition breached the Corrections Act 1986. In assessing the security justification, the judge considered concerns that Vegemite could be used in illicit alcohol production and interfere with narcotics detection dogs. The decision therefore upheld the restriction as a justified limitation on the applicant’s cultural rights in the prison context.
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2026/10/28/2003866765
US: Federal Court Convicts Rwandan-American of Lying About Involvement in Rwandan Genocide
On 28 October 2026, a federal jury in Boston, Massachusetts, convicted Eric Nshimiye, a Rwandan-born US citizen, of four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice for concealing his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The case stemmed from testimony Nshimiye gave during the 2019 immigration fraud trial of his former medical school classmate, Jean Leonard Teganya, who was also accused of participating in the Rwandan genocide. Prosecutors claimed that Nshimiye provided false testimony while appearing as a character witness for Teganya. They further alleged that he had participated in atrocities against Tutsi civilians in Butare, where both men attended university, including killings and rape. Prosecutors presented testimony from witnesses that alleged Nshimiye had engaged in killings and other violence during the genocide. The defence contested these accounts and called witnesses who placed him elsewhere in Rwanda. Nshimiye’s lawyers argued that the allegations were based on “fabricated accusations.” They also requested that the court take into account the two and a half years he has already spent in custody. Nshimiye is scheduled to be sentenced on 26 January 2027.
US: Federal Court Rejects DOJ Request to Set Aside California Mail-in Ballots
On 28 October 2026, a US federal district court rejected a Department of Justice (DOJ) request to temporarily prevent California from counting approximately 20,000 mail-in ballots associated with individuals the federal government identified as potentially ineligible noncitizen voters. US District Judge David O. Carter ruled that the administration’s last-minute effort to exclude the ballots conflicted with longstanding constitutional principles reserving authority over election administration to the states. The DOJ had argued that the ballots should be withheld based on its assessment of the citizenship status of the voters concerned. The judge rejected the request, emphasising the constitutional limits on federal intervention in state-administered election procedures. The ruling followed an earlier Ninth Circuit decision rejecting the DOJ’s request for an expedited ruling on setting aside the ballots pending the district court hearing. The federal government indicated that it intends to appeal the district court’s decision to the Ninth Circuit.
https://www.npr.org/2026/10/28/nx-s1-6021478/doj-california-ballots-denied
https://rollcall.com/2026/10/29/judge-denies-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-california-votes/
Tunisia: Court Sentences Journalist to Four Years on Terrorism Charges
On 29 October 2026, a Tunisian court imposed an additional four-year prison sentence on independent journalist Zied el-Heni on terrorism-related charges, which included the formation of a terrorist organisation and the failure to report a terrorist offence. The case stemmed from his attempt to verify leaked audio recordings linked to the former interim leader of the opposition Ennahdha movement, Mondher Lounissi. El-Heni refused to give the authorities access to his mobile phone without a warrant, emphasising the need to protect his sources. In the same case, Lounissi was also sentenced to nine years in prison. El-Heni, a vocal critic of President Kais Saied, was already serving a one-year sentence imposed in May over comments concerning press freedom in Tunisia. International journalism organisations condemned the ruling amid a wider crackdown on press freedom in the country. Since Saied’s 2021 power grab, numerous opposition figures have faced imprisonment, and many Ennahdha party members have either been jailed or forced to flee the country.
International Peace & Security Section
Palestine: UN Commission of Inquiry Finds Genocide Continues in Gaza and Crimes Against Humanity in West Bank
On 26 October 2026, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel presented its fifth report to the UN General Assembly (UNGA). The experts concluded that Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including extermination, persecution, torture, and sexual violence. In Gaza, they found that Israeli forces have continued acts of genocide even after the US-brokered truce of October 2025, with the aim of destroying the Palestinian people, wholly or in part. For the West Bank, the report describes “a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population,” carried out through military operations and backed by sustained settler violence. Air strikes there killed six Palestinians between 2008 and 6 October 2023, compared with 254 between 7 October 2023 and 30 September 2026. The Commission also concluded that Israel has persecuted Palestinian children in the West Bank because of their age, as it did in Gaza, and classified this as a crime against humanity. The report records 1,431 Palestinians killed in Gaza and 137 in the West Bank between 10 October 2025 and 30 September 2026.
https://www.un.org/unispal/document/coi-report-2026-14oct26/
Ukraine: UN Commission of Inquiry Finds International Law Violations by Russia
On 26 October 2026, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine released its latest report, concluding that Russian authorities have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine. The UN Human Rights Council appointed the independent Commission in March 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, to investigate human rights abuses and international humanitarian law violations in the war. The experts found that Russian authorities have attacked civilians and critical energy infrastructure, intentionally targeting facilities on which civilians rely on for heating. The report drew on the experiences of 255 people who faced harsh conditions during winter across Ukraine, as well as accounts from doctors, civil society groups, and Ukrainian authorities. The report also described “compelling evidence” that Russian authorities violated international human rights law by recruiting trafficked men from 29 countries around the world to fight against Ukraine. The Commission also looked into attacks by Ukraine on Russian energy infrastructure and in occupied areas of Ukraine. However, it was unable to assess the effects of the strikes in Russia because Russian authorities limited its access and did not provide the requested information.
UN: Secretary-General’s Annual Report Highlights Deadly Toll of Global Conflict on Women and Girls
On 26 October 2026, the annual UN Secretary-General’s report on Women, Peace and Security was released, highlighting the devastating toll of conflict on women and girls around the world. The report found that more women and girls are being killed in armed conflict than before, with almost 25 killed every day, accounting for a quarter of all civilian deaths in 2025. At the same time, conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls is rising, with the number of UN-verified cases doubling to almost 10,000 in 2025 compared to the previous year. Maternal and reproductive health are also profoundly impacted by conflict, with women giving birth in conflict-affected countries five times more likely to die from maternal causes than those in stable countries, alongside fewer live births and more miscarriages. War also compounds poverty and inequality, and women and girls are often driven to take on unpaid care work at far higher rates than men and boys. Despite the particular harms they face during conflict, women and girls are often excluded from peace negotiations. Moreover, as military spending increases globally, funding for women’s groups working in conflict settings is falling.
UN: Security Council Debates Iran Sanctions as IAEA Says it Cannot Verify Nuclear Material
On 27 October 2026, the United Nations Security Council met to examine Iran’s nuclear file, after the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted by 23 to three, with eight abstentions, on 9 September to report Iran’s non-compliance with its safeguards obligations to the Council. Bahrain, Denmark, France, Latvia, the UK, and the US requested the session, which opened with a procedural vote on the agenda, called for by Russia. It passed with 11 votes in favour, two against (Russia and China) and two abstentions (Somalia and Pakistan). Russia and China maintain that the Council closed the Iranian nuclear file on 18 October 2025 under resolution 2231 (2015). France, the UK and the US say the resolution remains in force because Iran has not met its safeguards obligations. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi told members that Iran has not provided the information and access needed to verify nuclear material it previously declared, adding that inspectors were forced to withdraw for safety reasons after military attacks began in June 2025. Denmark recalled that a veto last month blocked the renewal of the sanctions Panel of Experts, and the US said it will work with other members on an independent multilateral mechanism to monitor the 1737 sanctions regime. Iran’s representative argued that his country is the victim of aggression, not its perpetrator.
https://press.un.org/en/2026/sc16491.doc.htm
https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2026/10/iran-non-proliferation-briefing-10.php
https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2026-10/news/iaea-reports-iran-un-security-council
Yemen: Over 281,000 Displaced as Road Damage Restricts Aid to Taiz
On 28 October 2026, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that more than 281,000 people have fled their homes in Yemen since the start of August, over half of them now sheltering in Taiz governorate. That is a rise of more than 20,000 in under a week. OCHA said damage to a key road linking Taiz with the southern governorates has forced supply convoys onto narrow mountain tracks and slowed deliveries. Three-quarters of the displaced live in sites short of shelter, clean water, and sanitation. More than 35,000 families still lack shelter assistance, and over 230,000 people need emergency water and sanitation support. In a report released on 26 October, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the Houthis used explosives on 18 October to severely damage the Hayjat al-Abd road, the main remaining commercial route for food, fuel, and medicine into the city. An earlier attack by apparent Houthi forces had hit the same road on 1 October. HRW warned that deliberately damaging infrastructure essential to civilian survival could breach the laws of war and amount to a war crime. It added that the Houthis did not respond to its letter on the attacks.
https://press.un.org/en/2026/db261028.doc.htm
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/26/yemen-houthi-attack-on-taizz-road-threatens-lives-welfare
Sudan: UN Mission Warns of Record Drone Attacks and Mass Detention in El Obeid
On 28 October 2026, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, presented a new report on El Obeid. The investigators warned that the war is spreading geographically, becoming more technologically advanced and growing more dangerous for civilians. They found that drone strikes by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue to kill and injure civilians and damage homes, schools, displacement sites, and electricity and water systems, and that these strikes may amount to war crimes. Only around 30% of the city’s hospitals are still functioning. Meanwhile, security units of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have arrested thousands of people, who were detained and tortured in unofficial locations and in El Obeid Central Prison. The prison reportedly holds around 2,000 people despite having a capacity of about 450. Mission Chair Mohamed Chande Othman said October has seen the most drone attacks on civilians since the conflict began. He added that individuals and entities in Chad, Puntland in Somalia, south-eastern Libya, and the United Arab Emirates were found to be involved in a transnational network supporting the RSF, although no neighbouring states were linked to it. Expert Joy Ngozi Ezeilo called for the UN arms embargo, currently limited to Darfur, to cover the whole of Sudan. Investigators are also looking into a drone attack on a market in Abyei on 19 October that reportedly killed at least 80 people.
Brazil: HRW Report Finds Police Misconduct During Deadly Raid Last Year
On 28 October 2026, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released an investigation documenting abuses by police during a deadly raid in Rio de Janeiro in October 2025 that killed 122 people. The organisation analysed thousands of hours of police body camera footage, videos, photographs, autopsy reports, and official investigation documents. It built several machine learning models in-house to process and assess large volumes of data. HRW researchers also interviewed witnesses and communities affected by the raid. The year-long investigation found that police tampered with the body cameras they were wearing during the operation and failed to follow critical investigative procedures. They also violated Brazil’s Supreme Court orders and their own protocols. HRW said the operation “appeared to be lethal by design,” in a country where police kill more than 6,000 people every year, and found that 85% of the non-police victims of the raid were Black. HRW called on Brazilian federal and state authorities to hold those responsible for abuses during the operation, and called for public security policies that respect human rights.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/28/brazil-new-evidence-of-serious-police-misconduct-in-deadly-raid
Somalia: UN Mission Closing Amid Ongoing Political Dispute
On 29 October 2026, it was reported that the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission (UNTMIS) in Somalia is closing, marking the end of over 30 years of UN political and peacebuilding missions in the country. The Somali government welcomed the closure of the mission’s operations, saying it demonstrates the country’s self-management. UNTMIS has transitioned its work to other UN bodies and national institutions over the past two years. While Somalia will continue to see a UN presence, through aid agencies and support to African Union troops and Somali security forces, there will be no direct replacement for UNTMIS. This has raised concerns from the political opposition and experts, who say that the UN mission’s departure could worsen the country’s ongoing political crisis. Somalia is embroiled in an unsettled election dispute over whether President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and parliament can stay in office, after constitutional changes made this year extended their terms until 2027. At the same time, Al-Shabab militants control large areas of the country, while civilians face recurring drought, flooding, hunger, and aid shortages, compounding the security situation and humanitarian challenges.
North Korea: Border Tensions Rise with South Korea
On 29 October 2026, it was reported that North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. The missile launch, reported by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, comes amid a growing row between North and South Korea following a landmine explosion in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between the two nations in September. South Korea and the UN investigated the explosion, which injured three South Korean soldiers, and concluded that the landmines were planted by North Korea over a year ago. When Seoul asked for an apology, Pyongyang claimed the accusations were fabricated in a letter to the UN Security Council. North Korea also blamed rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula on South Korea, which has been conducting drills with US air forces. Seoul has suggested talks with Pyongyang to ease tensions and rebuild communication. It is still unclear whether North Korea, which has adopted a hardline stance towards South Korea in recent years, will agree to these.
Israel: Election Results Indicate that Netanyahu and Eisenkot Fall Short of a Majority Leaving Government Formation Uncertain
On 30 October 2026, Israel’s Central Elections Committee (CEC) published the final results of the 27 October Knesset election. They confirmed that neither main bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat parliament. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats and the bloc led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot won 48, while Arab-led parties took a record 19. Netanyahu’s Likud finished as the largest party with 27 seats, ahead of Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21, and turnout was 77.9%, the highest in decades. Cooperation between Eisenkot’s bloc and the Arab-led parties could provide a route to a majority. Eisenkot has left the door open under certain conditions, although some of his likely partners have ruled it out, and Netanyahu has warned against a “dangerous government” that includes Arab parties. A unity government of Netanyahu and Eisenkot is also being debated, and if no coalition can be formed, new elections could be held early next year. President Isaac Herzog, who is not obliged to give the first chance to the leader of the largest party, has urged parties to avoid another election. He said he would begin consultations once he received the official results, which are not expected before 4 November. Likud has claimed without evidence that Arab parties stole the vote. The CEC said reports of irregularities were far fewer than in previous elections and that an investigation into alleged fraud would not affect the results.