U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would impose 25% tariffs on imported goods from Canada and Mexico next week as he originally planned, contending the two neighboring countries are still not doing enough to curb the flow of drugs into the United States.
BANGKOK — The United Nations led criticism Thursday of Thailand’s government over its deportation to China of 40 Uyghurs held for more than a decade in detention in Bangkok. The deportation came despite warnings that the Uyghurs face persecution and the risk of torture if handed over to Chinese authorities.
Controversial Internet influencer Andrew Tate and his brother are reportedly on a private jet bound for the United States, leaving Romania where they have been embroiled in a legal case alleging human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
While some agencies have resisted efforts by Elon Musk’s team to access confidential records, HUD has opened the door. The potential harm to privacy could be significant.
The Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation has wanted an end to commercial picking of a critical cultural resource for years. Finally, the Forest Service is expected to make a decision.
Global freedom declined for the 19th consecutive year in 2024. Sixty countries experienced deterioration in their political rights and civil liberties, and only 34 secured improvements.
During an unprecedented year of elections, many contests were marred by violence and authoritarian efforts to restrict voters’ choices. In over 40 percent of the countries and territories that held national elections in 2024, including Free countries such as France, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, and the United States, candidates were targeted with assassination attempts or assaults, polling places were attacked, or postelection protests were suppressed with disproportionate force. Elections in authoritarian countries like Azerbaijan, Russia, Rwanda, and Tunisia were manipulated to prevent genuine opposition candidates from participating.
Ongoing armed conflicts made the world less safe and less free. Civil wars and interstate conflict in Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine—as well as violence perpetrated by armed militias, mercenaries, and criminal organizations across Latin America and Africa—undermined security and prevented the exercise of fundamental rights. People in 20 percent of the world’s countries and territories now live without even the most basic protections from the illegitimate use of force. In many places, armed conflict fuels the spread of illicit trading in drugs and arms and provides safe havens for criminal organizations.
Positive developments demonstrated the potential for democratic breakthroughs. Despite the overall decline in global freedom, bright spots emerged around the world as a result of competitive elections or following the collapse of long-standing authoritarian regimes. For example, the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime in Syria after 13 years of civil war prompted immediate improvements in physical security, freedom of movement, and freedom of assembly in formerly regime-held areas. New governments in such countries will now face the difficult task of building and strengthening democratic institutions while also protecting individual rights.
Largest increases and best overall scores: On Freedom in the World’s 100-point scale for political rights and civil liberties, Bangladesh (+5), Bhutan (+5), Sri Lanka (+4), and Syria (+4) recorded the largest gains for 2024. The best overall country scores were those of Finland (100), Sweden (99), New Zealand (99), Norway (99), Canada (97), Denmark (97), San Marino (97), the Netherlands (97), Ireland (97), and Luxembourg (97).
Largest declines and worst overall scores: Kuwait (−7), Tunisia (−7), El Salvador (−6), and Haiti (−6) were the countries with the year’s largest score declines. The countries with the worst overall scores were Turkmenistan (1), South Sudan (1), Sudan (2), Eritrea (3), North Korea (3), Central African Republic (5), Tajikistan (5), Equatorial Guinea (5), Syria (5), Afghanistan (6), Azerbaijan (7), Belarus (7), and Myanmar (7).
Status changes: Two countries, Bhutan and Senegal, improved from Partly Free to Free status, while Jordan crossed the threshold from Not Free to Partly Free. Four countries declined from Partly Free to Not Free: Kuwait, Niger, Tanzania, and Thailand.
What will that achieve here exactly?