Deepak Kumar, a Hindu gym owner in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, is facing threats and legal action after intervening on January 26 to protect 70-year-old Muslim shopkeeper Wakeel Ahmed from a Bajrang Dal group. The group objected to the word 'Baba' in Ahmed's shop name, leading to communal tension and multiple FIRs. Kumar, who famously declared 'My name is Mohammad Deepak,' remains resolute.
In a humanitarian gesture, Chile, led by President Gabriel Boric, offered citizenship to hundreds of Nicaraguans stripped of their nationality by the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime in February 2023. This move, mirroring a similar offer from Spain, aims to provide international protection to those rendered stateless for political reasons.
Italian authorities have detained the German-flagged refugee rescue ship Sea-Watch 5 for 15 days and imposed a €7,500 fine. The action follows the crew's refusal to communicate with the Libyan coastguard after rescuing 18 people, a decision Sea-Watch defends as upholding international law.
A recent report by the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) highlights a significant increase in targeted violence, including arson and murder, against the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh. The report, covering December 2025 to January 2026, documents numerous incidents of homes and temples being set ablaze and multiple killings across several districts.
Since mid-January 2026, nearly 2,900 Indonesian nationals have sought consular assistance to return home from Cambodia, fleeing online scam centers. This surge follows a Cambodian government crackdown on illicit operations, prompting many to seek refuge at the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh. Repatriation efforts are underway, with the first group already returned to Indonesia.
Brazil's Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship welcomed 93 Brazilian nationals deported from the United States on January 30, 2026, at Belo Horizonte/Confins Airport. This operation is part of the 'Aqui é Brasil' repatriation program, which provides comprehensive support to vulnerable returnees. The program, launched in 2019, has facilitated the return of over 3,200 citizens.
California's Department of Motor Vehicles canceled over 20,000 commercial driver's licenses, primarily affecting the state's Sikh trucking community. The cancellations, stemming from a federal audit flagging license expiration date discrepancies, have led to significant financial losses and a class-action lawsuit alleging clerical errors and due process violations.
Six Italian officials, including Coast Guard and Customs Police officers, are now on trial in Crotone, Italy, facing charges of negligence and multiple manslaughters. The charges stem from the February 2023 Cutro shipwreck, which claimed the lives of at least 94 migrants, including 35 children, after authorities allegedly failed to launch a timely rescue operation despite early warnings.
Iranian authorities face accusations of a 'campaign of revenge' against medical professionals. Reports indicate doctors are being arrested, with at least one surgeon facing a potential death penalty, for providing aid to injured anti-government protesters. International bodies, including the US State Department and WHO, have condemned these actions, highlighting violations of medical ethics and human rights.
A doctor told the Nagoya District Court that Sri Lankan detainee Wishma Sandamali's 2021 death in a Japanese immigration facility could have been prevented, citing multiple missed opportunities for medical intervention due to dehydration, starvation, and beriberi heart disease.
Brazil has commenced its 2026 humanitarian repatriation efforts, with the first flight landing in Belo Horizonte on January 7-8, bringing 32 nationals deported from the United States. The 'Aqui é Brasil' program, coordinated by the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, provides comprehensive support to returnees, continuing a program that has repatriated over 3,100 citizens since 2019.
Britain, France, Canada, and eight other allied nations have strongly condemned Israel's demolition of the UN Palestinian refugee agency's (UNRWA) East Jerusalem compound on January 20, 2026. The group issued a joint statement calling the act 'unprecedented' and urging Israel to halt all demolitions and respect international obligations regarding UN premises.
Photojournalists Artin Ghazanfari and Hamed Araghi have been detained by Iranian authorities in January 2026, weeks after a nationwide internet shutdown began. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for their immediate release, citing concerns over media targeting during the information blackout.
Pope Leo XIV received the new UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, in a private audience at the Vatican. Their discussions focused on the escalating global displacement figures, marking a significant high-level engagement on humanitarian challenges early in 2026.
Bangladesh's interim government has voiced 'surprise and shock' regarding a public address by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on January 23, 2026. Dhaka stated that allowing the event sets a 'dangerous precedent' for bilateral relations, especially as Hasina, a fugitive convicted in absentia, called for the overthrow of the current government.
Chanchal Bhowmik, a 25-year-old Hindu man, was tragically burnt to death while asleep in a garage in Narsingdi, Bangladesh, on Friday night. Initially thought to be an accident, CCTV footage has revealed suspicious activity, leading police to investigate the possibility of arson and foul play. No arrests have been made as the investigation continues.
Greece's migration ministry has submitted a new bill to parliament to significantly toughen penalties for migrant trafficking, proposing life sentences for smugglers and direct expulsion for convicted migrants. The legislation also targets aid workers, drawing criticism from NGOs.
Chinese whistleblower Guan Heng, who filmed Xinjiang detention facilities, is seeking US asylum after being detained by ICE in August 2025. His case has drawn congressional attention, leading to the Department of Homeland Security dropping plans to deport him to Uganda. He remains in custody awaiting an immigration court ruling.
Senior leaders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), National Citizen Party (NCP), and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami have jointly participated in peace rallies in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. These rallies advocate for peaceful and responsible electoral competition ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election, scheduled for February 12, 2026.
A 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, was detained by federal immigration officers in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, alongside his father. School officials allege the child was used as 'bait' during the enforcement action, a claim disputed by the Department of Homeland Security. The family, which has an active asylum case, has been transferred to a detention facility in Texas.
