US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order that terminates the majority of US sanctions imposed on Syria and associated designated persons, effective July 1. Lifting sanctions will represent in a significant opportunity for the ravaged Syrian economy. Sanctions against people and entities tied to the ousted Bashar Assad regime, terrorist organizations, and human rights abusers will remain in place.

The Hong Kong Legislative Council passed a law on June 25 that bans anyone convicted of a "national security" offense from forming or holding a leadership position within a union. The new law amends the Trade Union Ordinance, introducing a lifetime ban on union organizing for such offenders. This includes both holding a leadership position within a union as well as registering a new union, and the ban cannot be overruled by the chief executive. For reference, those charged with fraud or membership in a criminal organization are subject to a five-year ban. Unions must now also disclose any financial contributions from foreign actors.

At least seven have been killed and many more injured in anti-government protests that broke out June 26 in Togo's capital, Lomé. The demonstrations were called over recent constitutional reforms that could cement President Faure Gnassingbé's long hold on power. Gnassingbé, who has ruled since his father's death in 2005, was sworn in last month as president of the Council of Ministers, a powerful new post without term limits, allowing him to be re-elected by Parliament indefinitely. Gnassingbé's family has ruled Togo since 1967, and the new "Hands Off My Constitution" movement denounces the government reform as a "constitutional coup." (AfricaNews, EastleighVoice)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset on June 25 agreed to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. The agreement, supported by all 46 Council of Europe member states, will establish a tribunal to address crimes of aggression in response to Russia's ongoing invasion. The crime of aggression refers to the decision by a state leader to wage a war that may violate Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The tribunal's jurisdiction may also extend to Russian allies participating in the conflict.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced June 24 that the recent killing of Palestinians trying to receive food from aid hubs may constitute a war crime, warning of a policy of "weaponized hunger" in the Gaza Strip. Jonathan Whittall, the head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Gaza and the West Bank, reported that more than 400 people have now died in the process of trying to reach food distribution points. "We see a chilling pattern of Israeli forces opening fire on crowds gathering to get food," Whittall said, adding that "Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution."

Amnesty International expressed concern June 24 over recurrent drone strikes conducted by Pakistan's military, which have caused unlawful loss of civilian lives. The rights group stated that the strikes in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have resulted in the deaths of 17 people this year, urging authorities to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable.

One result of the 12 days of war has been the intensification of repression inside Iran under the name of "defending the homeland" or "fighting espionage." According to reports, at least 700 people have been arrested on accusations of cooperating with Israel. Six political prisoners (all with serious legal irregularities in their cases) have already been executed, labeled as "spies." And this is only the beginning... The Islamic Gestapo (the Basij) have turned major urban areas like Tehran into militarized zones. They roam the streets, hunting for "suspicious agents."

In Episode 284 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg  interviews Frieda Afary of the blog Iranian Progressives in Translation, author (most recently) of Socialist Feminism: A New Approach, and a longtime voice for democratic-secular opposition movements in Iran. How is the situation of Iran's civil resistance complicated by the US-Israeli air-strikes on the country, and how should progressives in the West respond?