Airstrikes carried out by the United States against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific drew sharp criticism from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday who said they “violate international human rights law” and must stop immediately.

The UN’s top aid official in Ukraine expressed concern on Friday about “continuous attacks” on energy production sites and distribution facilities.

BRUSSELS, Belgium, October 30 (IPS) - Thirty years ago, world leaders gathered in Copenhagen and made a promise: people would be at the center of development. This November, Heads of State and Government will meet again in Doha, Qatar, for the Second World Summit for Social Development or WSSD2.

SAN LUIS JILOTEPEQUE, Guatemala, October 30 (IPS) - Water scarcity that relentlessly hits the rural communities in eastern Guatemala, located in the so-called Central American Dry Corridor, is a constant threat due to the challenges in producing food, year after year. But it is also an incentive to strive to overcome adversities.

BATU, Nigeria, October 30 (IPS) - In 2017, 45-year-old Jabiru Muhammed could hardly contain his excitement when the village head of Batu in Jigawa State, northwestern Nigeria, announced that their community would work with officials from the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) to plant trees across a large stretch of land in the village.

UNITED NATIONS, October 30 (IPS) - In 2024, the climate crisis has disrupted schooling for millions of students worldwide, weakening workforces and hindering social development on a massive scale. With extreme weather patterns preventing students from accessing a safe, and effective learning environment, the United Nations (UN) and the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies (EiE Hub) continue to urge the international community to assist the most climate-sensitive areas in building resilient education systems that empower both students and educators.

The heartbeat of modern urban life is increasingly digital – from traffic sensors and early warning systems, to participatory planning platforms and geospatial data – technology is changing how cities are designed, managed, and experienced.

Governments moving to restore ties with the Taliban risk legitimising oppression and deepening Afghanistan’s crisis, an independent UN human rights expert cautioned on Thursday, calling for a principled approach that defends the rights of women and girls.

Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation after crossing Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas, with severe effects also felt in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and parts of Central America, the UN aid coordination office (UNOCHA) reported on Thursday.

The newly appointed Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, Miroslav Jenča, has praised the country’s peace process as “a global model,” while urging greater financial support to strengthen the Mission’s work.