PARIS, December 19 (IPS) - Today, society is rightly concerned about the rising prevalence of autism among children worldwide; affecting up to 1% of children, it has a profound impact on families. Neuroinflammation and environmental origins are increasingly implicated. But what causes them?

UNITED NATIONS, December 19 (IPS) - A long-standing proposal going back to 1996—to establish a single non-renewable seven-year term for the Secretary-General of the United Nations– has been resurrected by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

UNITED NATIONS, December 18 (IPS) - In recent weeks, the Russo-Ukrainian War has taken a considerable turn for the worse, with armed hostilities escalating in both frequency and intensity, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and a significant loss of life across Ukraine. Attacks on energy infrastructures and the resulting power outages are forcing the most vulnerable civilians to deal with a “cold, frightening ordeal” in the winter season, warned the United Nations (UN) human rights chief.

NAIROBI, December 18 (IPS) - For years, smallholder farmers across Kenya have been engaged in a legal battle with the government over a law that criminalizes the practice of saving, sharing and exchanging indigenous seeds.

MICHOACÁN, Mexico , December 18 (IPS) - My niece Roxana Valentín Cárdenas was 21 years old when she was killed. She was a Purépecha Indigenous woman from San Andrés Tziróndaro, a community on the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro in the Mexican state of Michoacán.

A pregnant woman in Gaza thought she might lose her child because of malnourishment. Ten days ago, she gave birth and is now in recovery thanks to World Food Programme (WFP) facilities that are back up and running again, the agency’s representative for Palestine said on Thursday.

The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) will evacuate its logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan, in the wake of the “heinous attack” this past weekend that killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and seriously injured eight others.

Humanitarian needs in Syria remain immense despite a year of reduced violence and political change, with millions still displaced, basic services strained and funding shortfalls threatening aid operations, senior UN officials said on Thursday.

Ginger and cinnamon are more than just ingredients. Along with other spices, their medicinal value is gaining both attention and legitimacy.

Intensifying air strikes and heavy artillery fire across Thailand and Cambodia have left civilians increasingly at risk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Thursday.