SEATTLE, USA, May 26 (IPS) - On May 21, I was in the Seattle immigration court accompanying a young mother from a South American country who was applying for asylum to a routine hearing. Local media had reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had arrested several people there the previous day.

LONDON, May 26 (IPS) - Israel’s ongoing war of annihilation in Gaza has wiped out hospitals, schools, homes, water, and food, reducing the Palestinian territory to a wasteland and leaving a death toll of more than 53,000 people. But an equally lethal campaign has been unleashed against the foundations of Palestinian society and identity.

UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (IPS) - With just five years to 2030, the world stands at a pivotal juncture. The collective promises of our 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all – remain urgent and vital. Yet, progress is uneven, and in many areas, we risk falling short.

SEATTLE, Washington / SAN DIEGO, California / AUSTIN, Texas, May 26 (IPS) - As the world confronts escalating climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and ocean degradation, islands stand as critical test cases—not just as sites of vulnerability, but as living laboratories of resilience, restoration, and innovation. Too often, they are framed as victims of global circumstances, awaiting salvation from external forces.

Myanmar’s spiralling human rights crisis – fuelled by relentless military violence, systemic impunity and economic collapse – has left civilians caught in the crossfire of an increasingly brutal conflict, according to a new report by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for an immediate end to the daily killings and destruction in Ukraine, following a weekend of deadly attacks that left at least 14 civilians – including three children – dead and dozens more injured across the country.

An inclusive education programme in Lebanon is getting top marks from teachers and students, especially children with disabilities who are often the most marginalised.

Alcoholic drinks, especially beer and spirits, may raise the risk of pancreatic cancer, a new UN study has found.

After another deadly weekend of Israeli attacks in Gaza, aid teams stressed once again on Monday that the “trickle” of supplies being allowed into the war-torn enclave will not halt famine.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has deplored a deadly wave of Russian missile and drone strikes that reportedly killed at least 13 civilians and injured 65 others, warning that the attack underscores the grave risks of using powerful explosive weapons in populated areas.