US AI giant accuses Chinese rivals of mass data theft - France-Presse, Agence (The Guardian, 2026)
Anthropic says three Chinese firms used ‘distillation’ technique to extract information from its Claude chatbot
China
Keywords: AI (artificial intelligence); China; Computing; Technology; World news

‘We can see that courage’: Greece recovers long-lost photos of Nazis’ May Day executions - Smith, Helena (The Guardian, 2026)
Culture ministry hails ‘exceptional historical importance’ of prints that show resistance fighters’ final moments
Greece
Keywords: Europe; Greece; May Day; Nazism; Second world war; World news

Russia Takes the Gulag Out of the Gulag History Museum in Moscow - MacFarquhar, Neil (The New York Times, 2026)
The museum had preserved the history of brutality inflicted by the Soviet Union on its people. It will now focus on Nazi war crimes.
Russian Federation
Keywords: Antonov-Ovseyenko; Anton (1920-2013); Forced Labor; Gulag History Museum; Memorial; Moscow (Russia); Museums; Solzhenitsyn; Aleksandr I; Stalin; Joseph; World War II (1939-45)

‘A love letter to Beirut’: Lana Daher on sifting 20,000 sources and 70 years of film to make Do You Love Me - El-Moudden, Yassin (The Guardian, 2026)
Remembering and documentation are radical acts in Lebanon, a country with a tumultuous history and no national archive. Daher’s effervescent cultural collage is a direct challenge to collective amnesia
Lebanon
Keywords: Culture; Film; Lebanon; Middle East and north Africa; World news

Nazi letters reveal paper restorers’ role in compiling Holocaust ‘hitlist’ - Alberge, Dalya (The Guardian, 2026)
Research uncovers programme to make centuries-old records legible to detect people’s ancestry
Germany
Keywords: Europe; Holocaust; Nazism; Second world war; World news

Epstein files suggest acts that may amount to crimes against humanity, say UN experts - Reuters (The Guardian, 2026)
Independent experts appointed by human rights council speak of ‘grave’ nature regarding scale of atrocities against women and girls
Worldwide
Keywords: Jeffrey Epstein; US news

‘Can I come over and take your picture?’: a decade-long archive captures cross-cultural womanhood - Wolfson, Sam (The Guardian, 2026)
Through more than 300 photos, the New York City artist Clémence Polès Farhang captures the immigrant story and unconventional womanhood
Worldwide
Keywords: Art and design; Culture; Life and style; New York; Photography; Society; US news; Women

Israel's approval of West Bank land registration sparks outrage (Le Monde, 2026)
The Israeli government has approved a process to register land in the region as 'state property,' drawing condemnation from Arab nations and critics who said it would accelerate annexation of the Palestinian territory. The European Union called on Israel to reverse the move.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Israel's approval of West Bank land registration sparks outrage (Le Monde, 2026)
The Israeli government has approved a process to register land in the region as 'state property,' drawing condemnation from Arab nations and critics who said it would accelerate annexation of the Palestinian territory. The European Union called on Israel to reverse the move.
Israel

‘It’s a protest movement behind windows’: tribute to the Iranians risking their lives to film dissent - Cole, Deborah (The Guardian, 2026)
Inspired by the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising that gripped Iran in 2022, two film students created a documentary, Memories of a Window, about onlookers who anonymously record footage as proof of state violence
Iran
Keywords: Activism; Berlin film festival; Berlin film festival 2026; Culture; Documentary films; Film; Human rights; Iran; Middle East and north Africa; Protest; World news

‘The goal has been to demystify’: how a colonial Nairobi library was restored and given back to the people - Reynés, Diego Menjíbar (The Guardian, 2026)
Once a whites-only enclave, the grand McMillan Memorial library is one of three in the Kenyan capital that have been transformed for the community
Kenya
Keywords: Africa; Books; Cities; Culture; Documentary films; Film; Global development; Heritage; Kenya; Libraries; Literacy; World news

Israel approves proposal to register West Bank lands as ‘state property’ (Al Jazeera, 2026)
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Israel approves proposal to register West Bank lands as ‘state property’ (Al Jazeera, 2026)
Israel

Elon Musk’s xAI faces second lawsuit over toxic pollutants from datacenter - Kerr, Dara (The Guardian, 2026)
NAACP alleges artificial intelligence firm is violating Clean Air Act and polluting Black communities in Mississippi
United States of America
Keywords: AI (artificial intelligence); Elon Musk; Environment; Law (US); Mississippi; Pollution; Race; Technology; US justice system; US news

AfricaMuseum refuses to release Congo geological archive to US mining company, despite pressure from President Trump - Colin Clapson (VRTNWS, 2026)
The AfricaMuseum in Tervuren (Flemish Brabant) is refusing to hand over geological archive material on Congo to an American mining company that wants to use the data to map valuable raw materials. ‘We want to digitalise the archives ourselves and not leave it to a private company,’ the museum says. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is increasing pressure through diplomatic channels.
United States of America

AfricaMuseum refuses to release Congo geological archive to US mining company, despite pressure from President Trump - Colin Clapson (VRTNWS, 2026)
The AfricaMuseum in Tervuren (Flemish Brabant) is refusing to hand over geological archive material on Congo to an American mining company that wants to use the data to map valuable raw materials. ‘We want to digitalise the archives ourselves and not leave it to a private company,’ the museum says. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is increasing pressure through diplomatic channels.
Congo

House members seek inquiry into DoJ’s tracking of their Epstein files research - Gedeon, Joseph (The Guardian, 2026)
US attorney general displayed records of Congress members’ searches into Epstein files during House hearing
United States of America
Keywords: House of Representatives; Jeffrey Epstein; Pam Bondi; Trump administration; US Congress; US justice system; US news; US politics

Top Lesotho Home Affairs officials face fraud and corruption charges - Mokhethi, By Sechaba (GroundUp News, 2026)
They are accused of unlawfully issuing asylum and refugee documents
Lesotho

Google backs African push to reclaim AI language data - Dosunmu, Damilare (Rest of World, 2026)
A new 21-language data set gives African institutions ownership and control in a field long dominated by Big Tech.
Africa

Diaspora elections under way amid low registration, data‑protection fears - Lester Hinds (Jamaica Gleaner, 2026)
Jamaicans across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have begun voting in elections for the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council (GJDC), amid concerns from some leaders about what they describe as disappointingly low voter registration – and lingering unease about data security.
Jamaica

MIP Participates in webinar on the IRMCT archive for civil society organisations from the Western Balkans (IRMCT, 2026)
On 10 February, the Mechanism Information Programme for Affected Communities (MIP) participated in the online webinar “How to use the IRMCT/ICTY archive for inclusive memorialisation?”. The event was organised by the British Council as the first in a series of webinars under the project “Different Memories, Shared Futures: Towards Inclusive Memorialisation in the Western Balkans.”
Eastern Europe

ICE List: the small European website exposing US immigration agents - Kassam, Ashifa (The Guardian, 2026)
Netherlands-based site uses public information and tips to reveal identities of agents involved in crackdowns across US
United States of America
Keywords: Europe; ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement); Minneapolis; Minnesota; Netherlands; US news; World news

ICE List: the small European website exposing US immigration agents - Kassam, Ashifa (The Guardian, 2026)
Netherlands-based site uses public information and tips to reveal identities of agents involved in crackdowns across US
Netherlands
Keywords: Europe; ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement); Minneapolis; Minnesota; Netherlands; US news; World news

Two Resign From Human Rights Watch Over Shelved Report Criticizing Israel - Kershner, Isabel (The New York Times, 2026)
Omar Shakir and Milena Ansari said they had quit over the stalled publication of a report that concludes it is a crime against humanity to deny Palestinians the ability to return to the territory that is now Israel.
Worldwide
Keywords: Human Rights Watch; Human Rights and Human Rights Violations; Israel; Milena Ansari; Palestinians; Shakir; Omar; West Bank

Immigration agents' surveillance tools and tactics raise questions about civil liberties - William Brangham; Azhar Merchant (PBS News, 2026)
United States of America

‘Inoculation’ helps people spot political deepfakes, study finds - Zhang, Bingbing (The Conversation, 2026)
Priming people to watch out for political deepfakes helps them question the AI-generated videos.
United States of America

New York to create team of legal observers to document ICE raids - Reuters (The Guardian, 2026)
Attorney general Letitia James says observers will monitor if Trump enforcement ‘remains within bounds of the law’
United States of America
Keywords: ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement); New York; Trump administration; US news; World news

Parents are paying $2500 to falsify vaccine records. It's endangering babies like Riley - Olaya, Kayla (The Age, 2026)
Parents are paying anti-vaccine doctors and nurses to falsify Medicare records to enrol their children in childcare and fraudulently claim government payments.
Australia
Keywords: Australian Health Practitionor Regulation Agency (AHPRA); Australian Immunisation Register (AIR); Medicare

Chinese man who filmed evidence of Xinjiang rights abuses is granted asylum in US (The Guardian, 2026)
Lawyer for Guan Heng, whose exposed evidence of persecution of Uyghurs, says he is ‘textbook example of why asylum should exist’
China
Keywords: Asia Pacific; China; US foreign policy; US immigration; Uyghurs

United Arab Emirates plans to bankroll first ‘planned community’ in south Gaza - Brown, Cate (The Guardian, 2026)
Blueprints describe a ‘case study’ community where residents submit biometric data to gain entry
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)
Keywords: Gaza; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; United Arab Emirates; World news

De archivos en papel a acceso digital: la transformación digital de los Archivos del CICR (Cross-Files | ICRC Archives, audiovisual and library, 2026)
El Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja (CICR) abrió sus archivos generales al público, marcando un punto de inflexión en el análisis de la historia del CICR, la acción humanitaria y los conflictos armados. Desde entonces, los archivos y la biblioteca del CICR han acogido a miles de investigadores, estudiantes o periodistas, y han respondido decenas de miles de consultas.
Worldwide

Leaving a permanent record of humanity on the moon – in 100 billion pixels - Nick Hilden (Al Jazeera, 2026)
Sanctuary on the Moon is a new international effort to establish a lunar time capsule that will offer its finder a detailed guide to our present civilisation. It is set to launch moonward in just a few years with the support of NASA and UNESCO.
Worldwide

The League of Nations archives go online, reopening history to the world - Stéphane Bussard (Geneva Solutions, 2026)
In 2022, a major digitisation effort reached completion: the entire archive of the League of Nations was placed online. Long mainly consulted by western scholars, the collection is now open to historians worldwide — a shift that could gradually reshape how the institution is studied and understood.
Worldwide

MSF will not share staff information about its colleagues in Palestine with Israeli authorities (Doctors Without Borders, 2026)
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) will not share a list of its Palestinian and international staff with Israeli authorities as part of the registration process to work in Gaza and the West Bank. This decision comes after many months of unsuccessful engagement with Israeli authorities, and in the absence of securing assurances to ensure the safety of our staff and the independent management of our operations.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Iran appears to ease internet blackout as cost of shutdown mounts - Down, Aisha (The Guardian, 2026)
Experts say uneven connectivity suggests regime is throttling and filtering data as losses said to hit $36m a day
Iran
Keywords: Censorship; Human rights; Internet; Iran; Middle East and north Africa; Protest; World news

Dissident Who Daringly Documented Uyghurs’ Repression Wins Asylum - Qin, Amy (The New York Times, 2026)
Heng Guan, a Chinese national, will not be released immediately, as Homeland Security said it was reserving the right to appeal.
China
Keywords: China; Deportation; Heng Guan; Illegal Immigration; Immigration Detention; Political Prisoners; Trump; Donald J; Uganda; United States

Africa CDC Establishes Central Data Repository to Strengthen Public Health Surveillance (Africa CDC, 2026)
Public health data in Africa remains fragmented and dispersed across multiple systems that are often not interoperable. This limits the ability of countries and regional institutions to rapidly synthesise information, identify emerging risks and translate data into timely and coordinated public health action. The CDR addresses this challenge by providing a secure and interoperable platform that integrates surveillance, laboratory and programme data from national and regional systems.
Africa

AI systems could use Met Office and National Archives data under UK plans - Milmo, Dan (The Guardian, 2026)
Ministers plan to license content from institutions such as National History Museum and National Library of Scotland
United Kingdom
Keywords: AI (artificial intelligence); Culture; Heritage; Imperial War Museums; Kew Gardens; Labour; Met Office; Museums; National Archives; Natural History Museum; Politics; Technology; UK news; University of Oxford; V&A

Genetic Data From Over 20,000 U.S. Children Misused for ‘Race Science’ - Mike McIntire (The New York Times, 2026)
Genetic researchers were seeking children for an ambitious, federally funded project to track brain development — a study that they told families could yield invaluable discoveries about DNA’s impact on behavior and disease. They also promised that the children’s sensitive data would be closely guarded. The scientists did not keep it safe.
United States of America

Sudan civil war: 'Half of my friends were killed' in el-Obeid school shelling - Mohamed Osman, Mohamed (BBC, 2026)
Twins whose classmates were killed by shelling say their deaths have made them determined to finish their studies.
Sudan

Women filmed in secret for social media content - then harassed online - Stazicker, Molly (BBC, 2026)
So-called manfluencers wearing smart glasses approach women and then post videos to TikTok and Instagram.
Worldwide

United Arab Emirates plans to bankroll first ‘planned community’ in south Gaza - Brown, Cate (The Guardian, 2026)
Exclusive: Blueprints describe a ‘case study’ community where residents submit biometric data to gain entry
United Arab Emirates, Palestine
Keywords: Gaza; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; United Arab Emirates; World news

United Arab Emirates plans to bankroll first ‘planned community’ in south Gaza - Brown, Cate (The Guardian, 2026)
Blueprints describe a ‘case study’ community where residents submit biometric data to gain entry
United Arab Emirates
Keywords: Gaza; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; United Arab Emirates; World news

Smithsonian Exhibition Showcases Hidden Archives of Historically Black Colleges - Chera Watson (The EDU Ledger, 2026)
New exhibit reveals how HBCUs have served as stewards of African American history and culture for generations.
United States of America

Philadelphia sues US government for removal of slavery-related exhibit - Dunbar, Marina (The Guardian, 2026)
Display at President’s House site, residence to George Washington, had information on people enslaved by him
United States of America
Keywords: Philadelphia; US news

Pentagon contractor indicted over alleged leak tied to raided Washington Post reporter - Luscombe, Richard (The Guardian, 2026)
Worker illegally provided classified information ‘related to national defense’ to journalist, justice department says
United States of America
Keywords: FBI; Maryland; Media; Newspapers; Press freedom; Trump administration; US military; US news; US politics; US press and publishing; Washington Post

Jordan used Israeli firm’s phone-cracking tool to surveil pro-Gaza activists, report finds - Kirchgaessner, Stephanie (The Guardian, 2026)
Researchers find with high confidence that security officials used Cellebrite to extract data from activists’ phones
Jordan
Keywords: Gaza; Israel; Jordan; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; Protest; Surveillance; Technology; World news

Jordan used Israeli firm’s phone-cracking tool to surveil pro-Gaza activists, report finds - Kirchgaessner, Stephanie (The Guardian, 2026)
Researchers find with high confidence that security officials used Cellebrite to extract data from activists’ phones
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)
Keywords: Gaza; Israel; Jordan; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; Protest; Surveillance; Technology; World news

Jordan used Israeli firm’s phone-cracking tool to surveil pro-Gaza activists, report finds - Kirchgaessner, Stephanie (The Guardian, 2026)
Researchers find with high confidence that security officials used Cellebrite to extract data from activists’ phones
Israel
Keywords: Gaza; Israel; Jordan; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; Protest; Surveillance; Technology; World news

Doge improperly shared sensitive social security data, DoJ court filing reveals - Gedeon, Joseph (The Guardian, 2026)
Trump administration acknowledges that Elon Musk’s cost-cutting operation accessed Americans’ sensitive data
United States of America
Keywords: Elon Musk; Trump administration; US news; US politics; US social security

Tracing the long history of Aboriginal-Chinese people in Australia, through archives and art - Burchmore, Alex (The Conversation, 2026)
Aboriginal Chinese People at the National Museum of Australia brings together contemporary art, personal reflections and archival photographs
China

Tracing the long history of Aboriginal-Chinese people in Australia, through archives and art - Burchmore, Alex (The Conversation, 2026)
Aboriginal Chinese People at the National Museum of Australia brings together contemporary art, personal reflections and archival photographs
Australia

Inside the Doctors Without Borders Clinics That Israel Is Closing in Gaza - Shbair, Bilal; Halbfinger, David M.; Boxerman, Aaron; Alghorra, Saher (The New York Times, 2026)
The aid group has refused to comply with new Israeli rules restricting speech and demanding information on staff. Patients are stunned. “I need this place,” says one.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)
Keywords: Doctors Without Borders; Gaza Strip; Regulation and Deregulation of Industry

Poland hindered Soviet efforts to prevent WWII, claims head of Russian state archives - Tilles, Daniel (Notes From Poland, 2026)
The head of Russia’s Federal Archive Agency, a body subordinate to President Vladimir Putin, has claimed that historical documents show how Poland hindered efforts by the Soviet Union to prevent the outbreak of World War Two, which began with Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland.
Russia
Keywords: Poland

Albanese says the social media ban is working, but it is too early to say if it has been successful - Taylor, Josh (The Guardian, 2026)
As the UK government faces pressure to follow suit, evidence on whether the ban is working is still a while away.
Australia
Keywords: Anthony Albanese; Social media ban; Social media bans

Accountability Lacking for Sweida Abuses (Human Rights Watch, 2026)
Syrian government forces and local Bedouin and Druze armed groups are responsible for grave abuses during clashes in Syria’s southern Sweida governorate in July 2025.
Syria

Crown-Indigenous Relations Ministry ordered to release files on children's graves (Toronto Sun, 2026)
The Federal Information Commissioner has asked the Crown-Indigenous Relations Ministry to release files on purported Indian children graves.
Canada

Digitization of general archives -our FAQ (Cross-Files | ICRC Archives, audiovisual and library, 2026)
The ICRC archives have decided to entrust an external provider with the digitization of its fonds. In consultation with this provider, it has been decided that the digitization work could not be carried out at the ICRC’s premises in Geneva. Various series of archives will therefore be sent to our service provider for digitization. As...
Worldwide

Togo : L'ANC exige la déclassification des archives françaises sur l'assassinat de Sylvanus Olympio - Hessoun, Charly (La Nouvelle Tribune, 2026)
Le 13 janvier 2026, à l’occasion du 63ᵉ anniversaire de la disparition du premier président du Togo indépendant, l’Alliance Nationale pour le Changement (ANC) a officiellement sollicité l’ouverture des dossiers secrets conservés par Paris.
Togo

Personal information of 4,500 ICE and Border Patrol agents leaked online - Mike Bedigan (The Independent, 2026)
ICE List website says it was leaked information about federal agents after shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis
United States of America

Uganda Cuts Internet Days Before Presidential Election - Bigg, Matthew Mpoke; Blanshe, Musinguzi (The New York Times, 2026)
The authorities say the decision was made to prevent the spread of misinformation as President Yoweri Museveni seeks his seventh term in office.
Uganda
Keywords: Africa; Communications and Media Blackouts; Computers and the Internet; Defense and Military Forces; Demonstrations; Protests and Riots; Elections; Museveni; Yoweri; Politics and Government; Uganda; internal-open-access-from-nl

The Enduring Fight for Justice for Victims in War - Bassas, Arthur (Pass Blue, 2026)
Operating in 50 countries across five continents, the center aims to ensure that the voices and demands of victims are recorded, considered and enacted whether a conflict is resolved, peace is being negotiated or violations continue.
Worldwide

Israeli Police Question Top Netanyahu Aide Over Leaked Document Case - Kershner, Isabel (The New York Times, 2026)
Tzachi Braverman, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, was detained for questioning on Sunday over accusations that he sought to impede an investigation.
Israel
Keywords: Braverman; Tzachi (1959- ); Classified Information and State Secrets; Corruption (Institutional); Feldstein; Eliezer; Hamas; Israel; Netanyahu; Benjamin; Politics and Government; Rumors and Misinformation; internal-open-access-from-nl

The League of Nations archives go online, reopening history to the world - Bussard, Stephane (Geneva Solutions, 2026)
In 2022, a major digitisation effort reached completion: the entire archive of the League of Nations was placed online. Long mainly consulted by western scholars, the collection is now open to historians worldwide — a shift that could gradually reshape how the institution is studied and understood.
Worldwide

Gyeonggi Province Publishes "Comprehensive White Paper on the Human Rights Archive of Camp Town Women" - Lee Young-kyu (Asia Economy, 2026)
This white paper is the result of a comprehensive summary of the entire process of the "Ordinance on the Protection, Support, and Remembrance of Victims of Women in Gyeonggi-do," which was carried out from April to December last year.
South Korea

FBI takes over case of ICE agent killing US woman and cuts Minnesota’s access to evidence - Leingang, Rachel; Luscombe, Richard; Gedeon, Joseph; Campbell, Lucy (The Guardian, 2026)
Minneapolis remains on edge, with several protests planned after shooting of Renee Nicole Good
United States of America
Keywords: ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement); Minneapolis; Minnesota; Minnesota ICE shootings; Trump administration; US immigration; US news; US politics

Tim Davie says BBC will stay on X to try to stem ‘flood’ of global misinformation - Savage, Michael (The Guardian, 2026)
Director general says BBC needs to reach young audiences online amid pressure to leave Elon Musk-owned site
United Kingdom
Keywords: BBC; Elon Musk; Grok AI; Internet; Media; Tim Davie; UK news; X

New tool allows Californians to request data brokers to delete personal details - Robins-Early, Nick (The Guardian, 2026)
State seeks to give residents greater control over their personal data and have fewer messages forced upon them
United States of America
Keywords: California; Data protection; Surveillance; Technology; US news; West Coast

Canadian officials say US health institutions no longer dependable for accurate information - Bowden, Olivia (The Guardian, 2026)
Misinformation from the Trump administration is cited as fuelling Canadians’ concerns over childhood vaccinations
United States of America
Keywords: Americas; Canada; Coronavirus; Health; Infectious diseases; Robert F Kennedy Jr; Society; Trump administration; US news; Vaccines and immunisation; World news

Canadian officials say US health institutions no longer dependable for accurate information - Bowden, Olivia (The Guardian, 2026)
Misinformation from the Trump administration is cited as fuelling Canadians’ concerns over childhood vaccinations
Canada
Keywords: Americas; Canada; Coronavirus; Health; Infectious diseases; Robert F Kennedy Jr; Society; Trump administration; US news; Vaccines and immunisation; World news

Katherine may have 700 half-siblings. She's trying to find them to pass on medical advice - Merrit, Rachael (ABC News, 2026)
Hundreds of people have accessed South Australia's Donor Conception Register in its first year, lifting decades of secrecy surrounding anonymous donations — an outcome that has prompted calls from a leading advocate for similar moves at national level.
Australia
Keywords: ART; Australian Medical Association; Donor Conception Register; IVF; South Australia

‘Just an unbelievable amount of pollution’: how big a threat is AI to the climate? - Niranjan, Ajit (The Guardian, 2026)
Defenders say AI can do good to fight the climate crisis. But spiralling energy and water costs leave experts worried
Worldwide
Keywords: AI (artificial intelligence); Climate crisis; Computing; Environment; Grok AI; Technology

Puyallup Family Data Reclamation Project (Center for Human Rights, 2026)
By centering tribal authority and Indigenous data sovereignty, the project will create a tribally governed digital archive, facilitate community validation sessions, and lay the groundwork for future educational and public engagement initiatives defined by the Puyallup people.
United States of America

Disability and the Archives: Access, Absences and Action - . (Shakespeare's Globe, 2026)
Join us online for Disability and the Archives: Access, Absences and Action, a two-day virtual conference hosted by Shakespeare's Globe.

How Thousands of Secret Russian Documents Were Exposed - Troianovski, Anton; Sonne, Paul (The New York Times, 2025)
Russian journalists learned that a government office inadvertently made thousands of sensitive complaints viewable online, including accounts of abuse and coercion in the military.
Russian Federation
Keywords: Defense and Military Forces; Human Rights and Human Rights Violations; Moskalkova; Tatyana N; Politics and Government; Russia

Cabinet Office accused of covering up for royal family after blocking release of Andrew documents - Davies, Caroline; Quinn, Ben (The Guardian, 2025)
Minutes of travel expenses of former Duke of York as UK trade envoy withheld from National Archives
United Kingdom
Keywords: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor; Diana; Monarchy; National Archives; Princess of Wales; Queen Mother; UK news

The Cover-Up: Inside the Plot to Conceal Assad’s Crimes - Goldbaum, Christina; Alnassife, Saad (The New York Times, 2025)
Thousands of documents and interviews with Assad-era officials reveal how the regime worked to conceal evidence of its atrocities during the Syrian civil war.
Syrian Arab Republic
Keywords: Assad; Bashar al-; Assad; Maher al-; Embargoes and Sanctions; Human Rights and Human Rights Violations; International Relations; Mamlouk; Ali; Political Prisoners; Syria; internal-open-access-from-nl

US judge blocks Trump administration from deporting UK anti-disinformation campaigner - Walker, Peter; Crerar, Pippa (The Guardian, 2025)
Imran Ahmed of Center for Countering Digital Hate files complaint against senior Trump allies
United States of America
Keywords: Censorship; Digital media; Donald Trump; Elon Musk; Law; Media; Pam Bondi; Social media; Technology; Trump administration; UK news; US news; World news

US judge blocks Trump administration from deporting UK anti-disinformation campaigner - Walker, Peter; Crerar, Pippa (The Guardian, 2025)
Imran Ahmed of Center for Countering Digital Hate files complaint against senior Trump allies
United Kingdom
Keywords: Censorship; Digital media; Donald Trump; Elon Musk; Law; Media; Pam Bondi; Social media; Technology; Trump administration; UK news; US news; World news

Algeria's parliament approves law declaring France's colonisation a crime - Chothia, Farouk (BBC News, 2025)
Lawmakers unanimously approve a law, which demands an apology and reparations from the former colonial power.
Algeria

Organ-tuning books in English churches provide notes on a warming climate - Baraniuk, Chris (The Guardian, 2025)
Researchers have realised the records are a ‘goldmine’ to study changes in environmental conditions
United Kingdom
Keywords: Climate crisis; Culture; England; Environment; Heritage; Music; UK news

Manchester Museum seeks help to uncover hidden histories of African collection - Osuh, Chris (The Guardian, 2025)
New Africa Hub confronts colonial-era silences by asking visitors to share insights on 40,000 objects
United Kingdom, Africa
Keywords: Africa; Art; Art and design; British empire; Colonialism; Culture; England; Greater Manchester; Heritage; Manchester; Museums; Sculpture; UK news; World news

A key piece of Port Arthur-era gun reform remains unfinished. Could it have helped prevent the Bondi attack? - Bogle, Ariel (The Guardian, 2025)
A national fireams register would have allowed police to better assess risk posed by alleged Bondi shooters before attack. A register, which would track weapons across the country in real time, was a priority for law enforcement and gun control advocates after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. Almost 30 years later, it remains unfinished, hampered by poor resourcing and poor recordkeeping.
Australia
Keywords: Bondi beach terror attack; Gun control

Journalism, Free Expression in Further Peril (Human Rights Watch, 2025)
(London, December 17, 2025) – Authorities in Kazakhstan have targeted independent journalists and media outlets in recent weeks, a coalition of nine human rights groups said today. The authorities have searched the newsroom of an independent news agency, detained media workers, and pressured journalists over their reporting.
Kazakhstan

Ukrainian Armed Forces Use Blue Shield Markings to Protect State Archives (Mezha.net, 2025)
Ukrainian Armed Forces apply Blue Shield protective markings to state archive buildings preserving cultural heritage, ensuring their protection under international law during conflict.
Ukraine

Displacement and Migration through the Magnum Archive - Philippine Masson (Magnum Photos, 2025)
On the 75th anniversary of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), we take a look at Magnum's coverage of refugee and displacement crises around the world, from the 1940s to the present day.
Worldwide

Declassification des Archives Thiaroye 44 (RTS Officiel, 2025)
Invitée de l’émission En Vérité sur Radio Sénégal, l’ambassadrice de France au Sénégal, Mme Christine Fages, est longuement revenue sur la commémoration du massacre de Thiaroye 44 et sur la question sensible de la déclassification des archives réclamées par les historiens sénégalais.
France

Declassification des Archives Thiaroye 44 (RTS Officiel, 2025)
Invitée de l’émission En Vérité sur Radio Sénégal, l’ambassadrice de France au Sénégal, Mme Christine Fages, est longuement revenue sur la commémoration du massacre de Thiaroye 44 et sur la question sensible de la déclassification des archives réclamées par les historiens sénégalais.
Senegal

The Far Right in Germany Keeps Trying to Unseal National Secrets - Schuetze, Christopher F. (The New York Times, 2025)
Opponents of AfD lawmakers say that their push to publish sensitive details about national security could benefit Russian military planning.
Russian Federation
Keywords: Alternative for Germany; Defense and Military Forces; Europe; Germany; Legislatures and Parliaments; Politics and Government; Russia; Ukraine

The Far Right in Germany Keeps Trying to Unseal National Secrets - Schuetze, Christopher F. (The New York Times, 2025)
Opponents of AfD lawmakers say that their push to publish sensitive details about national security could benefit Russian military planning.
Germany
Keywords: Alternative for Germany; Defense and Military Forces; Europe; Germany; Legislatures and Parliaments; Politics and Government; Russia; Ukraine

Germany Accuses Russia of Sabotage, Cyberattacks and Disinformation - Schuetze, Christopher F. (The New York Times, 2025)
The German foreign ministry’s announcement, which Russia denied, was the latest suggestion of growing Russian aggression in Europe.
Russian Federation
Keywords: Cyberwarfare and Defense; Germany; Russia

Germany Accuses Russia of Sabotage, Cyberattacks and Disinformation - Schuetze, Christopher F. (The New York Times, 2025)
The German foreign ministry’s announcement, which Russia denied, was the latest suggestion of growing Russian aggression in Europe.
Germany
Keywords: Cyberwarfare and Defense; Germany; Russia

Supporting the voice of documentary filmmakers in Bishkek - . (International Federation for Human Rights, 2025)
Like every year, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) supports the independent documentary film festival BIR DUINO, which opens this Saturday, 13 December, in Bishkek. Ilya Nuzov, Director of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk at FIDH, will be part of the jury.
Kyrgyzstan

SAHR Announces its New Database - Almeras, Clemence (International Council on Archives, 2025)
SAHR Announces its New Database “Truth and Reconciliation Mechanisms Archives Locator” (TRMAL) on International Human Rights Day.
Worldwide

‘If I must die’: poetry from Gaza creates an alternative archive of testimony - Guerin, Clodagh Philippa (The Conversation, 2025)
Poetry offers something that news and visual imagery cannot in times of crisis: depth over immediacy and meaning over spectacle.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Israeli surveillance targets US and allies at joint base planning Gaza aid and security, say sources - Graham-Harrison, Emma (The Guardian, 2025)
Concerns over recording of meetings at coordination centre excluding Palestinians that was set up to provide support for Trump’s Gaza plan
Israel
Keywords: Benjamin Netanyahu; Espionage; Gaza; Israel; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; US news; World news

Israeli surveillance targets US and allies at joint base planning Gaza aid and security, say sources - Graham-Harrison, Emma (The Guardian, 2025)
Concerns over recording of meetings at coordination centre excluding Palestinians that was set up to provide support for Trump’s Gaza plan
United States of America
Keywords: Benjamin Netanyahu; Espionage; Gaza; Israel; Middle East and north Africa; Palestine; US news; World news

Finland's Truth and Reconciliation Commission makes 70 recommendations - Eilís Quinn (Eye on the Arctic, 2025)
Finland’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has urged sweeping reforms to strengthen Sámi rights and overhaul the country’s approach to Indigenous affairs, according to details of the nearly 68 recommendations published on Thursday. The Commission, set up by the Finnish government, spent the pa
Finland

Gazans race to preserve cultural heritage damaged in war - Elkas, Dawoud Abu; Abed, Ramadan (Reuters, 2025)
Workers are busy with shovels, trying to dig out the few surviving remnants of the past.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Unmasking the “Angel of Death”: Newly Declassified Argentine Archives Reveal Josef Mengele’s Open, Unpunished Postwar Life in South America - Fern Sidman (The Jewish Voice, 2025)
By: Fern Sidman – Jewish Voice News For decades, the trail of Josef Mengele—Auschwitz’s “Angel of Death,” the SS physician whose name became synonymous with the mechanized cruelty of the Nazi killing machine—has remained shrouded in myth, speculation, and scattered intelligence reports that seemed to illuminate his path only dimly. But the recent release of […]
Argentina

South African radio host arrested over recruiting fighters for Russia - Gavin Blackburn (euronews, 2025)
The South African government has warned people to be cautious of campaigns promoted by South African social media influencers promising jobs and study opportunities in Russia.
South Africa

Black Archives Day on 29 November 2025 (British Library, 2025)
Join us in celebrating and contributing to the living power of Black archival memory, activism, and cultural transformation.
United Kingdom

Taliban used discarded UK kit to track down Afghans who worked with west, inquiry hears - Eleni Courea (The Guardian, 2025)
Whistleblower tells Afghan leak inquiry those affected were told to move and change phone numbers to protect themselves
United Kingdom
Keywords: Afghanistan; Military; Ministry of Defence; Politics; Taliban; UK news; World news

Taliban used discarded UK kit to track down Afghans who worked with west, inquiry hears - Eleni Courea (The Guardian, 2025)
Whistleblower tells Afghan leak inquiry those affected were told to move and change phone numbers to protect themselves
Afghanistan
Keywords: Afghanistan; Military; Ministry of Defence; Politics; Taliban; UK news; World news

‘We’re a bit jealous of Kneecap’: how Europe’s minority tongues are facing the digital future - Burgen, Stephen (The Guardian, 2025)
What does it mean to lose a language, and what does it take to save it? Those were the big questions being asked in Barcelona recently
Europe
Keywords: Culture; Education; Europe; European Union; Kneecap; Language; Languages; World news

A database could help revive the Arapaho language before its last speakers are gone - Cowell, Andrew (The Conversation, 2025)
Many Native American languages only have a few native speakers left.
Americas

25 years since the opening of the Securitate archives. (Foundation Office Romania, 2025)
The event will bring together historians and archival specialists from Romania and Moldova, as well as representatives of the key institutions that managed the Securitate files after 1990. A panel discussion will explore the role of archives in rebuilding a democratic society, and a special session will analyze the ethical and legal controversies surrounding the disclosure of the Securitate files.
Moldova

25 years since the opening of the Securitate archives. (Foundation Office Romania, 2025)
The event will bring together historians and archival specialists from Romania and Moldova, as well as representatives of the key institutions that managed the Securitate files after 1990. A panel discussion will explore the role of archives in rebuilding a democratic society, and a special session will analyze the ethical and legal controversies surrounding the disclosure of the Securitate files.
Romaina

Blue Shield Appeal for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Sudan - Almeras, Clemence (ICA, 2025)
The International Council on Archives expresses its full support for the Blue Shield’s urgent appeal to protect Sudan’s cultural heritage amid ongoing conflict. Historic sites, archives, and sacred spaces are at risk, and ICA joins the call for all parties to uphold international law and safeguard the cultural memory of affected communities.
Sudan

Russian Disinformation Comes to Mexico, Seeking to Rupture U.S. Ties - Abi-Habib, Maria (The New York Times, 2025)
A U.S. government cable said that Kremlin-run outlets had scaled up their efforts across Latin America, seeking to turn people against the United States and garner support for Russia.
Worldwide
Keywords: Diplomatic Service; Embassies and Consulates; International Relations; Latin America; Mexico; Morena (Mexican Political Party); Politics and Government; RT (TV Network); Russia; United States International Relations

‘It’s hell for us here’: Mumbai families suffer as datacentres keep the city hooked on coal - Barratt, Luke; Rehman, Atika (The Guardian, 2025)
As Mumbai sees increased energy demand from new datacenters, particularly from Amazon, the filthiest neighbourhood in one of India’s largest cities must keep its major coal plants
India
Keywords: Air pollution; Artificial intelligence (AI); Computing; Environment; India; Mumbai; Pollution; South and central Asia; Technology; World news

Documenting War Crimes in Sudan Begins Now - Janine di Giovanni (Foreign Policy, 2025)
Stopping ongoing violence in conflict zones is urgent, but with today’s technology, so is gathering evidence.
Sudan

The FBI spied on a Signal group chat of immigration activists, records reveal - Levin, Sam (The Guardian, 2025)
Agency accessed private conversations of New York ‘courtwatch’ group that was observing public hearings
United States of America
Keywords: Activism; FBI; US immigration; US news

Nuremberg trial records made available online after painstaking 25-year project - Connolly, Kate (The Guardian, 2025)
Launch of digitisation project marks 80th anniversary of start of legal effort to bring Nazi leaders to justice
Europe
Keywords: Germany; Harvard University; Holocaust; International law; Nazism; Second world war; US news; War crimes

Harvard Law releases digitized Nuremberg Trials archive on 80th anniversary - Karen Sloan (Reuters, 2025)
Harvard’s collection of Nuremberg Trials documents is the second most-complete outside of the U.S. National Archives, according to the law school’s library. The library received most of its collection in 1949 after the final trial, then added documents over the years through donations from trial participants.
Worldwide

Data & Justice: Mapping police violence in Rio’s Favela da Maré - Aline Galdino de Oliveira & André Galdino de Oliveira & Aristênio Gomes dos Santos (OpenGlobalRights, 2025)
Data analysis can serve as a potent tool to hold law enforcement accountable
Brazil

Datos y justicia: mapeo de la violencia policial en la Favela da Maré de Río - Aline Galdino de Oliveira & André Galdino de Oliveira & Aristênio Gomes dos Santos (OpenGlobalRights, 2025)
El análisis de datos puede ser una herramienta eficaz para exigir responsabilidades a las fuerzas del orden.
Brazil

EBU launches Ukraine Archive with 30,000 verified digital stories - Jacob Granger (Journalism UK, 2025)
Journalists can access a treasure trove of trusted audio and video war-time reporting
Ukraine

European Commission accused of ‘massive rollback’ of digital protections - Rankin, Jennifer (The Guardian, 2025)
Proposed changes to AI Act would make it easier for tech firms to use personal data to train models without consent
Europe
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Data protection; Europe; European Commission; European Union; GDPR; Privacy; Technology; World news

President Lai hails National Archives as unifying force for Taiwan (Focus Taiwan - CNA English News, 2025)
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Monday that the newly launched National Archives will offer the public a deeper, unifying understanding of the endeavors of Taiwan's democracy pioneers.
East Asia

White nationalist talking points and racial pseudoscience: welcome to Elon Musk’s Grokipedia - Wilson, Jason (The Guardian, 2025)
World’s richest person wanted to ‘purge’ propaganda from Wikipedia, so he created a compendium of racist disinformation
United States of America
Keywords: Antisemitism; Artificial intelligence (AI); Elon Musk; Far right (US); Internet; Race; The super-rich; US news; Wikipedia; World news; X

Vatican to Return Indigenous Cultural Items to Canada Taken a Century Ago - Povoledo, Elisabetta; City, Ian Austen Elisabetta Povoledo reported from Vatican (The New York Times, 2025)
Dozen of pieces used in a 1925 exhibition, including a whale-hunting kayak, will be returned to Canada early next month.
Canada
Keywords: Arts and Antiquities Looting; Canada; Francis; Indigenous People; Inuit Indians; Leo XIV; Pius XI; Popes; Roman Catholic Church; Vatican Museums

‘Reframes history’: fears Māori knowledge diluted in plan to revise New Zealand curriculum - Duff, Michelle (The Guardian, 2025)
Minister rejects claims Māori history is being sidelined in rewrite which includes cutting some references to the Treaty of Waitangi
Oceania
Keywords: Asia Pacific; Education; Māori; New Zealand

For its 40th anniversary, RSF transfers its archives to specialist history centre La Contemporaine to aid research (RSF, 2025)
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is transferring its archives to La Contemporaine, a library, archive and museum of 20th and 21st century history, based in a suburb to the west of Paris. The archives, which have been amassed over forty years, will enable researchers from around the world to study the history of both RSF and press freedom in the years to come.
France

Borderline ambiguity: How Google Maps removes disputed Western Sahara border for Morocco users - Agence France-Presse (The Guardian, 2025)
The tech giant has released a statement acknowledging the use of different border displays between Western Sahara and Morocco
Western Sahara
Keywords: Africa; Google; Morocco; Western Sahara

Borderline ambiguity: How Google Maps removes disputed Western Sahara border for Morocco users - Agence France-Presse (The Guardian, 2025)
The tech giant has released a statement acknowledging the use of different border displays between Western Sahara and Morocco
Morocco
Keywords: Africa; Google; Morocco; Western Sahara

US ethics officials removed for inquiring into improper access of mortgage files - Levine, Sam (The Guardian, 2025)
Fannie Mae officers were investigating whether Trump ally inappropriately accessed mortgage details of federal officials.
United States of America
Keywords: Letitia James; Trump administration; US news; US politics

Human rights groups slam Kazakhstan's LGBT propaganda law - Искаков, Ерлан (Kursiv Media Kazakhstan, 2025)
International human rights organizations have condemned proposed amendments in Kazakhstan that would ban the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual orientation.”
Kazakhstan

Milan prosecutors investigate alleged ‘sniper tourism’ during Bosnian war - Giuffrida, Angela; Willsher, Kim (The Guardian, 2025)
Groups from Italy and elsewhere alleged to have paid Serb soldiers to shoot Sarajevo residents during siege. The investigation originated from a legal complaint submitted by Ezio Gavazzeni, a Milan-based writer who gathered evidence on the allegations, as well as a report sent to the prosecutors by the former mayor of Sarajevo, Benjamina Karić.
Italy
Keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Europe; Italy; World news

Protesters target major new Nigerian museum embroiled in looted artefacts row - Egbejule, Eromo (The Guardian, 2025)
Protest at Mowaa comes amid dispute over ownership of Benin bronzes looted by British colonial forces
Nigeria
Keywords: Africa; British empire; Culture; Museums; Nigeria; Protest; World news

Protesters target major new Nigerian museum embroiled in looted artefacts row - Egbejule, Eromo (The Guardian, 2025)
Protest at Mowaa comes amid dispute over ownership of Benin bronzes looted by British colonial forces
United Kingdom
Keywords: Africa; British empire; Culture; Museums; Nigeria; Protest; World news

US to demand countries share data on ‘pathogens with epidemic potential’ in return for health aid - Lay, Kat (The Guardian, 2025)
Draft template seen by the Guardian has no reference to countries receiving benefits for sharing information, such as guaranteed access to medicines developed as a result
United States of America
Keywords: Aid; Epidemics; Global development; Global health; Infectious diseases; Medical research; Society; US news; USAID; World news

Integrating Local, Indigenous, and Traditional Knowledge into Early Warning Systems for Climate Resilience (Start Network, 2025)
integrating Local, Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge into formal Early Warning Systems can significantly enhance their reach, relevance, and effectiveness. This knowledge is sustained by community structures including elders and practitioners who steward knowledge, social mechanisms that transmit it (storytelling, ceremony, apprenticeship), and local forums that apply it (customary rules, committees, communal assemblies).
Worldwide

Unesco adopts global standards on ‘wild west’ field of neurotechnology - Down, Aisha (The Guardian, 2025)
The standards define a new category of data, “neural data”, and suggest guidelines governing its protection. A list of more than 100 recommendations ranges from rights-based concerns to addressing scenarios that are – at least for now – science fiction.
Worldwide
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Computing; Neuroscience; Science; Technology; Unesco; United Nations; World news

Secret Harvard archive preserves Israeli publications ‘in case Israel ceases to exist’ - Zein Khalil and Mohammad Sio (Anadolu Ajansı, 2025)
Haaretz says hidden facility at Harvard stores Israel’s cultural and scientific output as safeguard against potential national collapse - Anadolu Ajansı
Israel

Secret Harvard archive preserves Israeli publications ‘in case Israel ceases to exist’ - Zein Khalil and Mohammad Sio (Anadolu Ajansı, 2025)
Haaretz says hidden facility at Harvard stores Israel’s cultural and scientific output as safeguard against potential national collapse - Anadolu Ajansı
United States of America

Bookstores on Edge as Kremlin Sets Sights on Policing Books - Petersburg, Nanna Heitmann Reporting from the many bookstores of St; Russia (The New York Times, 2025)
Restrictions on publishers and sellers have grown more severe. Volumes are being pulled from shelves or redacted like secret documents, but bookstores remain important sources of community.
Russian Federation
Keywords: Book Bans; Books and Literature; Censorship; Fines (Penalties); Homosexuality and Bisexuality; Popcorn Books; Russia; St Petersburg (Russia); Writing and Writers; internal-open-access-from-nl

AI firm wins high court ruling after photo agency’s copyright claim - Booth, Robert (The Guardian, 2025)
Ruling in case brought by Getty Images against Stability AI is seen as a blow to copyright owners
United Kingdom
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Intellectual property; Law; Media; Media law; News photography; Technology; UK news

Google plans to put datacentres in space to meet demand for AI - Booth, Robert (The Guardian, 2025)
US technology company’s engineers want to exploit solar power and the falling cost of rocket launches
Worldwide
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Climate crisis; Computing; Elon Musk; Google; Nvidia; Space; SpaceX; Technology

"Hide Records at Your own Peril," Government Warns Record Managers - Mbungu Harrison & Mwakwaya Raymond (The Coast Media Group, 2025)
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has warned records managers against unprofessional conduct, including hiding or misplacing files, saying such actions undermine public trust and taint the image of the profession and government institutions.
Kenya

EE. UU. logra reducir tareas de Misión de ONU en Colombia y arremete contra Petro y dice que esperará al próximo gobierno - Redacción Colombia (EL ESPECTADOR, 2025)
Se decidieron suprimir dos funciones clave de su mandato: la verificación del cumplimiento de las sentencias restaurativas de la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz (JEP) y el seguimiento al capítulo étnico del Acuerdo de Paz de 2016.
United States of America

EE. UU. logra reducir tareas de Misión de ONU en Colombia y arremete contra Petro y dice que esperará al próximo gobierno - Redacción Colombia (EL ESPECTADOR, 2025)
Se decidieron suprimir dos funciones clave de su mandato: la verificación del cumplimiento de las sentencias restaurativas de la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz (JEP) y el seguimiento al capítulo étnico del Acuerdo de Paz de 2016.
Columbia

Archives in times of war and algorithms: who will guard the memory? - Marimon, Sílvia (Ara in English, 2025)
Barcelona hosts more than 2,000 professionals from 110 countries to discuss the present and future of archives.
Spain

Filming what survives - Ibrahim Snoopy; Phil Cox (Africa is a Country, 2020)
Made just as Sudan descended into war, 'Khartoum' captures the beauty, pain, and humanity of a city shaken by violence—and the filmmakers who became refugees alongside their subjects.
Sudan

À Gaza, l’écocide comme arme de génocide - Blast (Blast, 2025)
Après deux ans de génocide, Gaza est devenu un vaste champ de ruines et de poussière. En plus des bâtiments, l'armée israélienne a détruit toutes les cultures de l'enclave, intoxiqué les sols et souillé les eaux. Une destruction de l'environnement qui pourrait causer des milliers de morts à long terme.
Palestine

Revealed: Israel demanded Google and Amazon use secret ‘wink’ to sidestep legal orders - Davies, Harry; Abraham, Yuval (The Guardian, 2025)
Like other big tech companies, Google and Amazon’s cloud businesses routinely comply with requests from police, prosecutors and security services to hand over customer data to assist investigations. To deal with the threat, officials created a secret warning system: the companies must send signals hidden in payments to the Israeli government, tipping it off when it has disclosed Israeli data to foreign courts or investigators.
Israel
Keywords: Amazon; Google; Israel; Technology; US news; World news

At least 49 relatives and colleagues of Afghans in data leak have been killed, study suggests - Taylor, Diane (The Guardian, 2025)
Research also finds 200 of 231 people notified by MoD of breach reported threats to themselves or families
Afghanistan
Keywords: Afghanistan; Data protection; Ministry of Defence; Superinjunctions; Taliban; UK news

Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres’ full water use secret, leaked document shows - Barratt, Luke; Furneaux, Rosa (The Guardian, 2025)
Executives at world’s biggest datacentre owner grappled with disclosing information about water used to help power facilities
United States of America
Keywords: Amazon; E-commerce; Environment; Internet; Technology

US expands facial recognition technology at borders to track non-citizens - Reuters (The Guardian, 2025)
New regulation will allow US authorities to require non-citizens to be photographed at any point of departure
United States of America
Keywords: Facial recognition; Technology; US immigration; US news

Génocide au Rwanda : 24 ans de réclusion confirmés en France pour l’ex-médecin Munyemana - RTBF (RTBF, 2025)
L’ancien médecin rwandais Sosthène Munyemana a été condamné à Paris en appel à 24 ans de réclusion criminelle pour sa participation au génocide des Tutsi en 1994 au Rwanda, a-t-on appris vendredi de source judiciaire.
Rwanda

Les talibans bafouent la liberté de la presse (Human Rights Watch, 2025)
Depuis leur prise de contrôle du pays en août 2021, les talibans ont fortement affaibli les médias afghans en recourant à la surveillance et à la censure, et en punissant les professionnels des médias pour des critiques présumées.
Afghanistan

Don’t use AI to tell you how to vote in election, says Dutch watchdog - France-Presse, Agence (The Guardian, 2025)
Data protection authority says chatbots are ‘clearly biased’, as Netherlands prepares for national poll
Netherlands
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Europe; Netherlands; Technology; World news

Massive leak exposes how China’s ‘Great Firewall’ is being exported to other countries - Ali Rogin (PBS News Weekend, 2025)
For years, China’s government has used what’s known as the “Great Firewall” to censor the internet inside its country and block access to select foreign websites. Now, a document leak shows that a little-known Chinese company is exporting these tools to other countries, including Myanmar, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia.
China

How Zimbabwe is suppressing journalism (GroundUp News, 2025)
Following arrests and draconian legislation, editors are self-censoring to protect their organisations
Zimbabwe

Inside the Sudden Collapse of a U.K. Spy Case Against China - Castle, Stephen (The New York Times, 2025)
Evidence prepared for a collapsed espionage trial was published by an under-pressure government in Britain, offering a window into Western countries’ struggle to define Beijing as friend or foe.
China
Keywords: China; Classified Information and State Secrets; Espionage and Intelligence Services; Great Britain; International Relations; London (England); Security Service (MI5); Starmer; Keir

Inside the Sudden Collapse of a U.K. Spy Case Against China - Castle, Stephen; London, Lizzie Dearden Reporting from (The New York Times, 2025)
Evidence prepared for a collapsed espionage trial was published by an under-pressure government in Britain, offering a window into Western countries’ struggle to define Beijing as friend or foe.
United Kingdom
Keywords: China; Classified Information and State Secrets; Espionage and Intelligence Services; Great Britain; International Relations; London (England); Security Service (MI5); Starmer; Keir

Ex-Trump adviser John Bolton pleads not guilty to sharing classified information - Lowell, Hugo (The Guardian, 2025)
Ex-national security adviser surrendered to authorities and made court appearance as he faces 18-count indictment
United States of America
Keywords: Donald Trump; John Bolton; Trump administration; US news; US politics

Djibouti President Urges Preservation of African Heritage - Africa, Dawan (Dawan Africa, 2025)
The inaugural forum in Djibouti brings together 17 African nations to promote digital archiving, legal transparency, and the preservation of Africa’s collective memory.
Djibouti

Launch of veteran card will be used to test UK government’s digital ID scheme - Booth, Robert (The Guardian, 2025)
Ministers hope scheme for 1.8 million people will show how technology works and ease privacy and security concerns
United Kingdom
Keywords: Apps; British army; Identity cards; Military; Politics; Technology; UK civil liberties; UK news

Former Bush adviser charged with amassing top secret files - Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (The Guardian, 2025)
Indian-American Ashley Tellis allegedly obtained US military data and passed envelopes to Chinese officials
China
Keywords: India; South and central Asia; Trump administration; US national security; US news; US politics; World news

Former Bush adviser charged with amassing top secret files - Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (The Guardian, 2025)
Indian-American Ashley Tellis allegedly obtained US military data and passed envelopes to Chinese officials
United States of America
Keywords: India; South and central Asia; Trump administration; US national security; US news; US politics; World news

Ces images de manifestations pro-Israël ont été générées par IA - France 24 (France 24, 2025)
Depuis fin septembre, des vidéos impressionnantes montrant d’immenses manifestations pro-israéliennes à Paris, Londres et New York circulent sur les réseaux sociaux, partagées par un compte de soutien…
Worldwide

Pédocriminalité | L’Église néglige trop les victimes, selon un rapport du Vatican - Melki, Clément (La Presse / AFP, 2025)
Représailles « troublantes », négligence, manque de transparence, lenteur : l’Église catholique souffre encore de sévères maux dans l’accompagnement des victimes de violences sexuelles en son sein, malgré des années d’efforts pour lutter contre ce fléau mondial, a révélé une commission du Vatican.
Worldwide

La France accusée par l'ONU de «violations graves» des droits des enfants migrants - RFI (RFI, 2025)
Le Comité des droits de l'enfant des Nations Unies conclut dans son rapport publié jeudi 16 octobre 2025 que la France est responsable de violations « graves et systématiques » des droits des enfants migrants non accompagnés. Les experts affirment que beaucoup de jeunes sont exclus du système de protection de l’enfance et vivent dans des conditions jugées dégradantes.
France

Digital ID: Danes and Estonians find it ‘pretty uncontroversial’ - Bryant, Miranda (The Guardian, 2025)
Citizens have enrolled with little opposition, albeit with some concerns over security and privacy, as UK plans system
Europe
Keywords: Apps; Cybercrime; Data protection; Denmark; Estonia; Europe; Hacking; Identity cards; Internet; Politics; Privacy; Surveillance; Technology; UK news

A Photographer Who Brought a Vanished Central European Jewry to Life - Erlanger, Steven (The New York Times, 2025)
Edward Serotta created an archive of 1,230 in-depth interviews with Holocaust survivors about how they lived, both before and after. “Every one of them comes with a story,” he said.
Europe
Keywords: Archives and Records; Audio Recordings; Downloads and Streaming; Central Europe; Content Type: Personal Profile; Eastern Europe; Jews and Judaism; Photography; Serotta; Edward; United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Vienna (Austria)

La Suprema Corte de México da un paso adelante, pero se queda corta - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2025)
Cuando Martha García, una joven activista con discapacidad y estudiante, se enteró de que la Suprema Corte planeaba modificar un precedente legal que podría debilitar el derecho de las personas con discapacidad a participar en la vida democrática, decidió actuar. / When Martha García, a young activist with a disability and student, learned that the Supreme Court was planning to change a legal precedent that could weaken the right of persons with disabilities to participate in democratic life, she decided to take action.
Mexico

Video: Inside Iran’s Museum of American Espionage - Walsh, Declan; Kiazand, Gelareh; Hazell, Jon; Thornell, Christina (The New York Times, 2025)
The enduring animosity between the United States and Iran is reflected inside the walls of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran, now turned into a museum of anti-American propaganda. U.S. involvement in the June Iran-Israel war has resurfaced that shared past.
Iran
Keywords: Central Intelligence Agency; Diplomatic Service; Embassies and Consulates; Iran; Israel; Museums; Tehran (Iran); United States International Relations

‘Your basis to live is checked at each and every step’: India’s ID system divides opinion - Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (The Guardian, 2025)
Keir Starmer is considering Aadhaar as model for UK, but detractors warn of ‘digital coercion’ and security breaches
India
Keywords: Human rights; India; South and central Asia; Technology; UK news; World news

US news outlets refuse to sign new Pentagon rules to report only official information - Helmore, Edward (The Guardian, 2025)
Defense department policy requires outlets to vow not to obtain unauthorized files and restricts access to some areas
United States of America
Keywords: CNN; Media; New York Times; Newspapers; Pete Hegseth; The Guardian; Trump administration; US news; US politics; US press and publishing; Washington Post

Against ‘chat control’: we can’t eliminate child abuse by eliminating privacy - Jeremy Malcolm (The Guardian, 2025)
Banning online anonymity tools like Tor won’t stop crime. It will only drive people underground and normalize government control over the internet
Worldwide
Keywords: Children; Privacy; Society; Technology; Tor

Naciones Unidas subraya que el Premio Nobel a Machado “es una oportunidad para recordar a las víctimas y su derecho a la justicia” - Moleiro, Alonso; Singer, Florantonia (EL PAÍS América, 2025)
El Consejo de Derechos Humanos advierte de que el chavismo “continúa persiguiendo a las voces críticas”. El Gobierno de Maduro cierra su Embajada en Noruega tras la concesión del galardón
Venezuela

Restitution row: how Nigeria’s new home for the Benin bronzes ended up with clay replicas - Oltermann, Philip; Egbejule, Eromo (The Guardian, 2025)
The public display of artefacts looted by British colonial forces at the new Museum of West African Art was supposed to be the crowning glory of a decades-long restitution effort. What went wrong?
Nigeria
Keywords: Africa; Benin; British empire; Culture; Germany; Museums; Nigeria; World news

l’ONU salue un pas décisif vers la vérité et la justice pour les disparitions forcées - ONU Info (ONU Info, 2025)
L’ouverture de poursuites contre des personnes accusées d’être responsables de disparitions forcées et d'actes de torture sous le précédent gouvernement au Bangladesh constitue une étape importante vers la reddition de comptes, a déclaré le Haut-Commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l’homme.
Bangladesh

UN rights chief hails Bangladesh prosecutions over enforced disappearances - UN News (UN News, 2025)
L’ouverture de poursuites contre des personnes accusées d’être responsables de disparitions forcées et d'actes de torture sous le précédent gouvernement au Bangladesh constitue une étape importante vers la reddition de comptes, a déclaré le Haut-Commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l’homme.
Bangladesh

Meta AI adviser spreads disinformation about shootings, vaccines and trans people - Wilson, Jason (The Guardian, 2025)
Critics condemn Robby Starbuck, appointed in lawsuit settlement, for ‘peddling lies and pushing extremism’
Worldwide
Keywords: Meta; Technology; US news; World news

JP Morgan staff told they must share biometric data to access headquarters - Sweney, Mark (The Guardian, 2025)
Investment bank had previously planned for such information from New York workers to be voluntary
United States of America
Keywords: Banking; Biometrics; Business; JP Morgan; New York; Technology sector; US news; World news

New film explores how Caribbean workers helped win second world war - Osuh, Chris (The Guardian, 2025)
Commissioned by the Imperial War Museum, Cornwallis Cloth ends ‘archival silence’ around invaluable West Indian contribution to war effort
Caribbean
Keywords: Black British culture; Caribbean; Imperial War Museums; Second world war; World news

Former premier of Nunavut calls on Carney to stop victimizing Inuit - Sanders, Leane (APTN News, 2025)
The former premier of Nunavut is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to end the federal government’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit against Canada over an “International Biological Experiments” program undertaken in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Canada

Russia Restricts Access to Stalin-Era Purge Archives (Odessa Journal, 2025)
Russian archives block historians from accessing Stalin-era files, citing security, limiting research on millions repressed during Soviet purges.
Russian Federation

Senegal Adopts Access-to-Information Law, Joining Africa’s Transparency Wave - Agency, Ecofin (Ecofin Agency, 2025)
Senegal enacts law granting universal access to public information. Reform aims to boost transparency, job access for youth. AFIC praises move as part of Africa-wide transparency trend.
Senegal

Morgentaler, le féminisme et l’avortement au Québec - Vigneault, Alexandre (La Presse, 2025)
On ne peut éviter de mentionner le nom du Dr Morgentaler lorsqu’on parle de l’avortement au Québec. Son parcours fait l’objet d’une importante bande dessinée. Or, dans l’ombre de ce célèbre médecin, de très nombreuses femmes ont aussi désobéi pour obtenir le droit de choisir. Une lutte féministe courageuse que raconte l’historienne Marie-Laurence Raby dans un essai éclairant intitulé Braver l’interdit.
Canada

Objetivo: matar al periodista - Yakovenko, Margaryta Yakovenko, Perfiles de Margaryta, Beatriz Lecumberri (El País, 2025)
El ejército de Israel ha matado a dos centenares de informadores en Gaza en los últimos dos años, mientras el Gobierno de Netanyahu prohíbe la entrada de la prensa internacional a la Franja. Es una situación inédita en los conflictos bélicos. Los reporteros palestinos son los ojos y oídos del mundo, los únicos testigos que documentan una masacre que ha causado ya más de 65.000 muertos.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Old wounds reopened for Tamils as mass grave discovered since the civil war - Canisius (ABC News, 2025)
A shocking mass grave discovery in Sri Lanka reignites global attention on one of the world's highest cases of unresolved enforced disappearances.
Sri Lanka
Keywords: Amnesty International; Chemmani grave; excavation; human rights; sri lanka mass grave; sri lankan civil war; sri lankan tamil; tamil; tamil community; war

Indigenous Peoples grapple with claims downplaying the history of residential schools - Passafiume, Alessia (CTVNews, 2025)
As Indigenous Peoples marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation this week, they also had to confront a persistent problem: public figures claiming the history of residential schools has been exaggerated or falsified.
Canada

Pensionnats pour Autochtones: Des Premières Nations dénoncent le déni de la réalité historique - Passafiume, Alessia (La Presse, 2025)
Un certain nombre de personnalités publiques prétendent que la tragédie des pensionnats pour Autochtones est grandement exagérée ou même carrément déformée, dénoncent des Premières Nations.
Canada

Advocates raise alarm over Pfas pollution from datacenters amid AI boom - Perkins, Tom (The Guardian, 2025)
Tech companies’ use of Pfas gas at facilities may mean datacenters’ climate impact is worse than previously thought
United States of America
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Business; Chemical industry; Climate crisis; Environment; Health; Pfas; Technology

The World's First Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects Wants Its Collection to Shrink, Not Grow - Feldman, Ella (Smithsonian Magazine, 2025)
Visitors can explore 3D renderings of stolen artworks, historical artifacts, rare books and more in UNESCO's new digital museum
Worldwide

«Orwell 2 + 2 = 5»: décortiquer la tyrannie - Lévesque, François (Le Devoir, 2025)
"Orwell 2 + 2 = 5", le percutant documentaire du cinéaste haïtien Raoul Peck consacré à l’auteur de 1984 et aux théories de ce dernier démonte les mécanismes, comme la désinformation et la déshumanisation, qui permettent aux systèmes autoritaires de se mettre en place.
Worldwide

Thousands of Germans access Stasi files, 35 years after reunification - DPA International (DPA International, 2025)
Tens of thousands of Germans continue to consult their files from the Stasi, the former East German state security agency, as the country prepares to mark 35 years since reunification on Friday. The Federal Archives received 16,213 applications from citizens for access to files in the first half of 2025, a spokesman told dpa on Thursday.
Germany

‘This is strength’: stories of enslaved Africans in Grenada will be made into searchable archive - Abdul, Geneva; Osuh, Chris (The Guardian, 2025)
Depths of Paradise project backed by British family and created by Stephen Lewis, a descendant of survivors
Africa
Keywords: Americas; Grenada; Slavery; UK news; World news

Le consentement israélien au génocide - Levy, Gideon (Le Monde diplomatique, 2025)
Journaliste au quotidien « Haaretz », Gideon Levy a passé sa carrière à dénoncer l’occupation des territoires palestiniens, la colonisation, les expulsions, le chantage à l’antisémitisme. Depuis deux ans, il est l’une des rares voix dans son pays à s’élever contre le bain de sang à Gaza. Comment une telle tragédie a-t-elle pu se dérouler dans le silence et l’indifférence de la plupart des Israéliens?
Israel

UK government resumes row with Apple by demanding access to British users’ data - Milmo, Dan (The Guardian, 2025)
New access order by Home Office would seek access to the tech company’s encrypted cloud backups
United Kingdom
Keywords: Apple; Cloud computing; Computing; Data protection; Home Office; Law; Politics; Technology; Telecoms; UK news; US news

Nearly 100 years after her death, Oxford’s first female Indigenous scholar honoured - Tahana, Jamie (The Guardian, 2025)
Mākereti Papakura died weeks before handing in her thesis at Oxford university documenting the life and customs of her tribe, work that is still used by Māori today
Worldwide
Keywords: Asia Pacific; Māori; New Zealand; University of Oxford

‘Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5' Review: Raoul's Peck's Vital Film Shows How We're Living In A ‘1984'-Style Dystopia - Carey, Matthew (MSN, 2025)
Raoul Peck's vital documentary Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5, which premiered tonight at the Cannes Film Festival, makes it startlingly clear the degree to which we are living in Orwellian times. The parallels between the nightmare of 1984 – where Big Brother dictates every facet of life – and Trump's America have not been properly acknowledged. This film does that. T
Worldwide

Musk calls Anti-Defamation League ‘hate group’ for documenting Christian extremism - Robins-Early, Nick (The Guardian, 2025)
Organization earlier this year came to the tech mogul’s aid over his widely criticized salutes at Trump’s inauguration
United States of America
Keywords: Antisemitism; Charlie Kirk shooting; Christianity; Donald Trump; Elon Musk; Far right (US); Germany; Technology; US news

Jo-Ann found her mum in 1991. Quiet changes will hurt the chance for others - Dennien, Matt (Brisbane Times, 2025)
A shift in Queensland’s approach to allowing adopted people or their families to access information to reunite has cast a shadow over three decades of reform.
Australia
Keywords: Adoption; Birth; death and marriage registration; Privacy; Queensland

Britain Is Introducing a Digital ID. Here’s How It Is Expected to Work. - Chutel, Lynsey (The New York Times, 2025)
The government said the new system would help to curb illegal migration, but opponents said it would infringe on citizens’ privacy.
United Kingdom
Keywords: Corbyn; Jeremy (1949- ); Farage; Nigel (1964- ); Foreign Workers; Great Britain; Identification Devices; Illegal Immigration; Labour Party (Great Britain); Open Rights Group; Privacy; Starmer; Keir; Swinney; John R

When I was married at 13 I was told refusal would end in my death. Now girls in Iraq as young as nine face the same fate - Ali, Shams (The Guardian, 2025)
A new law legitimises violence and entrenches control over the bodies of millions of women and girls like me
Iraq
Keywords: Children; Children's rights; Family; Forced marriage; Global development; Human rights; Iraq; Life and style; Marriage; Middle East and north Africa; Society; Women's rights and gender equality; World news