From 21/10/2025 to 23/10/2025, a Tropical Storm (maximum wind speed of 231 km/h) MELISSA-25 was active in Atlantic. The cyclone affects these countries: Jamaica (vulnerability Medium). Estimated population affected by category 1 (120 km/h) wind speeds or higher is 0.267 million .
Orange alert for tropical cyclone MELISSA-25. Population affected by Category 1 (120 km/h) wind speeds or higher is 37442 .
Green alert for tropical cyclone MELISSA-25. Population affected by Category 1 (120 km/h) wind speeds or higher is 0 (0 in Tropical Storm).
Russia/Ukraine: Blackout in Chernihiv exposes Russia’s unlawful attacks on civilian infrastructure
Responding to Russia’s latest attacks on Chernihiv’s energy infrastructure, which have left the entire city and parts of the region without electricity, Veronika Velch, Amnesty International Ukraine’s Director, said:
“This morning, Chernihiv — a city of nearly 280,000 people just two hours from Kyiv — woke up to a complete blackout after a series of Russian strikes on the region’s energy infrastructure. With temperatures dropping close to freezing overnight, Russia’s strikes will make life unbearable for civilians as we have seen time and again.”
“Russia’s relentless attack that is destroying Ukraine’s energy system, which is indispensable to the survival of civilian population, is unlawful. Intentionally depriving civilians of electricity, heating and water is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. These attacks disproportionately affect the civilian population, particularly vulnerable groups including children, older people, and hospital patients who depend on uninterrupted power and water supplies.
These attacks disproportionately affect the civilian population, particularly vulnerable groups including children, older people, and hospital patients who depend on uninterrupted power and water supplies
Veronika Velch, Amnesty International Ukraine’s Director
“As Ukraine enters another winter of Russia’s war of aggression, the destruction of energy infrastructure means entire communities are left without essential services. Children are unable to continue their education and, as attacks continue, more families are forced to abandon their homes. Russia must immediately cease its attacks on infrastructure indispensable to the survival of civilians, and the international community should act urgently to support the humanitarian needs of Chernihiv’s residents and ensure accountability for those responsible for these crimes under international law.”
Background
On 21 October 2025, Russian strikes left Chernihiv without electricity, forcing the city to rely on emergency backup power and triggering water distribution across the city. The blackout followed earlier attacks on energy facilities that cut power for tens of thousands.
Amnesty International has consistently documented how Russia’s widespread targeting of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure may constitute war crimes and creates life-threatening humanitarian conditions.
The post Russia/Ukraine: Blackout in Chernihiv exposes Russia’s unlawful attacks on civilian infrastructure appeared first on Amnesty International.
EU/Egypt: Partnership means holding each other to account for human rights violations
Ahead of the “first ever” EU-Egypt summit between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and Egypt’s President Abdelfattah Al-Sisi on 22 October, Eve Geddie, Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office said:
“A truly strategic partnership entails holding each other to account. As such, President Abdelfattah al-Sisi must call on EU leaders to take tangible and effective measures to bring an end to Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, its unlawful occupation of the whole Occupied Palestinian Territory and its cruel system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.
“At the same time, EU leaders must call on the Egyptian President to undertake urgently needed, concrete and long overdue human rights reforms. While the Egyptian authorities have taken symbolic but welcome measures in the past month, including the release of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdelfattah, and President al-Sisi’s referral of the Code of Criminal Procedures bill to Parliament for a limited review, the rampant arbitrary detentions, unfair trials and harsh prison sentences of critics continue unabated.”
Background
Since the March 2024 announcement of the new EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, the Egyptian authorities have continued their policies of systematic repression and continued intolerance for peaceful dissent, as well as violations of people in Egypt’s human rights.
As part of the EU-Egypt strategic partnership, the EU pledged a total of €7.4 billion in grants and loans to Egypt, including €5 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) concessional loans. The EU set progress in the form of “concrete and credible steps towards respecting effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and guaranteeing respect for human rights” as preconditions for Egypt to receive the MFA, along with other economic conditions. Egypt already received €1 billion, while the remaining, €4 billion were approved by the EU Council and Parliament in June 2025 and are pending the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding and subsequent disbursement in three operations.
The post EU/Egypt: Partnership means holding each other to account for human rights violations appeared first on Amnesty International.