News headlines
The Rise of Islamophobia in New York’s Mayoral Elections– with the Statue of Liberty in a Burqa
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, July 4 (IPS) - The prospect of New Yorkers electing their first Muslim Mayor, come November, has ignited a rash of paranoid statements by right-wing US politicians, including Islamophobia– the irrational fear and hatred against Islam and Muslims.Last week, a Republican politician caricatured America’s iconic Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa– an outer garment worn by some Muslim women that covers the entire body and face. But that internet meme, spreading across social media, was deleted after protests.
Sudanese Refugees and IDPs Disproportionately Affected By Crisis
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, July 3 (IPS) - Since the wake of the Sudanese Civil War in 2023, Sudan has faced a dire humanitarian crisis that has been marked by extreme violence, widespread civilian displacement, and an overwhelming lack of basic services in relation to the massive scale of needs. The latest reports from a host of United Nations (UN) organizations shed light on the rapid deterioration of living conditions for Sudanese internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees.
Does the UN Overstep Its Responsibility to Protect Mandate?
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, July 3 (IPS) - The UN has been criticized by some member states for overstepping the mandate of its Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine during a debate in the General Assembly.
African Fish Workers Excluded From International Trade Deals: Report
- Inter Press Service

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, July 3 (IPS) - A new report has raised concerns about the exclusion of African fish workers from trade protocols between their governments and developed countries, resulting in impoverished communities relying on fishing.
Post-Earthquake Myanmar Faces ‘Immense’ Suffering, Cannot Be Forgotten
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, July 3 (IPS) - “Myanmar cannot become a forgotten crisis,” Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), has said. “This country has faced cyclones, war, conflict, violence, climate and now immense suffering.”
UN80: Alternative Reform Pathways — Fiscal Prudence, Relocation Realities, & Underutilized Charter Mechanisms
- Inter Press Service

GENEVA, July 3 (IPS) - Recent proposals to relocate UN operations to lower-cost duty stations ignore demonstrable economic patterns. Empirical evidence suggests that establishing UN hubs often triggers localized inflation, negating projected savings.
Shelter and safety elude Afghan women returnees from Iran and Pakistan
- UN News

As returns of Afghan refugees and those living in refugee-like conditions from Iran and Pakistan increase – many forcibly – women and girls are arriving in a country where their rights, safety, and futures face severe threats, according to a new UN-led report.
UN Human Rights Council hears grim updates on Ukraine, Gaza and global racism
- UN News

The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday heard sobering briefings on the human rights situations in Ukraine and Gaza, along with a call to confront structural racism and intersectional discrimination worldwide.
UN chief ‘appalled’ by worsening Gaza crisis as civilians face displacement, aid blockades
- UN News

The UN Secretary-General is “appalled” by the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as civilians face yet another wave of mass displacement with few safe places to go.
Landless and locked out: Young farmers struggle for a future
- UN News

Agricultural land is more than just a resource to produce food – for many older adults around the world, a land deed is the only safety net they have as they enter their old age. As a result, they hold onto it tightly.

