Amnesty Condemns ‘Escalation’ in Iran Death Sentences

People walk through Tehran's Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP)
People walk through Tehran's Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP)
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Amnesty Condemns ‘Escalation’ in Iran Death Sentences

People walk through Tehran's Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP)
People walk through Tehran's Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP)

Amnesty International condemned on Tuesday an "escalation" in executions by Iranian authorities, hours after Tehran said two protesters had been hanged. 

Iran's judiciary announced the hanging of the two men on charges relating to anti-government protests that peaked in January, with media reporting they were executed in public. 

"The death sentences of Abolfazl Sepahi and Amir-Hossein Safari were carried out this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. 

Amnesty said in a statement that their execution, "following the arbitrary execution of at least three other protesters last week, marks a further escalation in the authorities' use of the death penalty to quash dissent". 

"The organization fears that at least 60 others, including three arrested as children, remain at risk of execution after being sentenced to death, while many others are facing prosecution on capital charges in relation to the protests." 

Iran's Mehr news agency reported that the hangings took place in "a square in the city of Malekshahr" in the central Isfahan province, with people present. 

The two were found guilty of "attacking police officers with machetes and knives, tying them to road signs, pulling them on the ground, dousing them with gasoline and setting them on fire" on January 8, Mizan said. 

It added that they had faced charges of "moharebeh", or waging war against God, and "corruption on earth for committing acts that severely disrupted public order and security", among others. 

UN experts called on Iran on Monday to cancel death penalties given to 12 men -- two of whom were executed on July 19 -- over the protests. 

"Sentencing 12 people to death in one hearing, in a closed courtroom and without clarity as to each defendant's individual responsibility violates established fair trial standards," the experts said. 

In late December, a protest movement initially sparked by the high cost of living rapidly evolved into widespread anti-government demonstrations. 

Rights groups based abroad say thousands were killed in the ensuing crackdown, with security forces firing on protesters. 

Iranian authorities reported more than 3,000 deaths, but attributed the violence to "terrorist acts" orchestrated by the United States and Israel. 

The US and Israel launched a joint attack on the country weeks later, on February 28, triggering the Middle East war. 

Since then, arrests and executions have multiplied in the country, linked to both the conflict and the protests. 

According to Amnesty, Iran conducts the second most executions of any country, after China. 



Japan's Defense Minister Says Cooperation with US, S.Korea 'Critical' for Region

Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) reacts as he talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles (L) during a meeting at Parliament House in Canberra on August 18, 2026. (Photo by HILARY WARDAUGH / AFP)
Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) reacts as he talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles (L) during a meeting at Parliament House in Canberra on August 18, 2026. (Photo by HILARY WARDAUGH / AFP)
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Japan's Defense Minister Says Cooperation with US, S.Korea 'Critical' for Region

Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) reacts as he talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles (L) during a meeting at Parliament House in Canberra on August 18, 2026. (Photo by HILARY WARDAUGH / AFP)
Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (C) reacts as he talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles (L) during a meeting at Parliament House in Canberra on August 18, 2026. (Photo by HILARY WARDAUGH / AFP)

Japan's defense minister said Tuesday that cooperation between his country, the United States and South Korea was "critical", after US President Donald Trump scaled back military drills with Seoul, said AFP.

"As Japan faces the most severe and complicated security environment in the post-war era, the cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea is critical to the peace and stability of the region," Shinjiro Koizumi said in Australia after talks with his counterpart Richard Marles.


Only 40% of World’s Health Facilities Meet Basic Sanitation Standards, Says UN

The report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for the first time provided global estimates of basic sanitation services in healthcare settings. (AP file)
The report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for the first time provided global estimates of basic sanitation services in healthcare settings. (AP file)
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Only 40% of World’s Health Facilities Meet Basic Sanitation Standards, Says UN

The report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for the first time provided global estimates of basic sanitation services in healthcare settings. (AP file)
The report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for the first time provided global estimates of basic sanitation services in healthcare settings. (AP file)

Only four in 10 healthcare facilities worldwide meet basic sanitation standards for accessible and usable toilets, the United Nations said Tuesday, while 11 percent have no sanitation services at all.

In a report, the UN's health and children's agencies said only 40 percent of healthcare facilities last year had toilets that adequately met the needs of patients and staff, including people with limited mobility.

The report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for the first time provided global estimates of basic sanitation services in healthcare settings.

Its 2025 estimate found significant gaps in access to basic sanitation standards, which it said required usable facilities including at least one toilet dedicated to staff, at least one sex-separated toilet with menstrual hygiene facilities and at least one toilet accessible for people with limited mobility.

Relying on data from 70 countries, the report showed that sanitation levels in healthcare facilities varied widely between regions, with only 23 percent of facilities in sub-Saharan Africa providing basic services, compared to 55 percent in central and southern Asia.

It found there was no sanitation service at more than one in 10 health facilities globally, serving 936 million people.

In addition to sanitation, the report estimated access in healthcare facilities to water, hygiene, environmental cleaning and waste management.

It found that an estimated 85 percent of facilities last year had basic water services, 72 percent had basic hygiene services and 71 percent basic healthcare waste management services.

Only 59 percent of facilities meanwhile met basic so-called environmental cleaning standards, which require both cleaning protocols and trained cleaning staff and is core to infection prevention and control.

A full 18 percent of facilities, serving around 1.5 billion people, met neither of the environmental cleaning requirements, said the report, which for this category relied on data from 54 countries.

The situation is particularly dire in poorer countries.

The environmental cleaning standard was met by just 24 percent of facilities in the world's least-developed nations.


Russia Warns Britain of ‘Consequences’ for Supplying Drones to Ukraine

 An FP-2 middle strike drone flies after being launched by Servicemen of the 20th Separate K-2 Unmanned Systems Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine August 16, 2026. (Reuters)
An FP-2 middle strike drone flies after being launched by Servicemen of the 20th Separate K-2 Unmanned Systems Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine August 16, 2026. (Reuters)
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Russia Warns Britain of ‘Consequences’ for Supplying Drones to Ukraine

 An FP-2 middle strike drone flies after being launched by Servicemen of the 20th Separate K-2 Unmanned Systems Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine August 16, 2026. (Reuters)
An FP-2 middle strike drone flies after being launched by Servicemen of the 20th Separate K-2 Unmanned Systems Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine August 16, 2026. (Reuters)

Russia warned ‌Britain on Tuesday it would face consequences for supplying drones to Ukraine which are used to attack targets on Russian territory.

Russia's embassy in London was responding to a report in the Times newspaper on Saturday which said British-made drones had been used for long-range strikes against Russia for the first time.

"London's actions will ‌inevitably carry ‌consequences for which it will ‌have ⁠to answer," the ⁠embassy said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel.

"The deeper its involvement in the conflict and the greater its support for Kyiv's terrorist machinery, the higher the price it will pay."

Ukraine ⁠has been using deep-strike drones ‌to hit oil refineries ‌and logistics facilities.

Britain's Ministry of Defense did ‌not confirm whether British drones had been ‌used.

In June, Britain said it would provide 150,000 drones to Ukraine by the end of 2026 as part of a £752 million ($996 million) ‌funding package.

Asked about the Russian embassy comments, a defense ministry spokesperson ⁠said: "Britain ⁠stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and we are committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Putin's illegal invasion."

Since the start of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has repeatedly warned Britain and other Western allies that their support for Kyiv, including the supply of equipment, could provoke retaliatory measures and increase the risk of a broader confrontation.