After 14 months of conflict between Israel and Palestine, talks of a ceasefire agreement have headed in a promising direction. The proposed agreement entails the release of hostages in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian land, and a strategy for displaced Gazans to safely return to their homes in the northern region of the enclave.

21 hours ago · NEW YORK, Feb 7 2025 (IPS) - Even after Trump declared that he wanted to take back the Panama Canal, acquire Greenland by force, if necessary, and rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, I could not, like many others, imagine that his madness could reach a new unfathomable height. At his news conference on February 4, with Prime Minister Netanyahu standing beside him, sporting a ...

2 days ago · UNITED NATIONS, Feb 6 2025 (IPS) - A new executive order from the United States White House calls for withdrawing support from major UN entities and a review of all international intergovernmental organizations which the United States is a member of. The U.S.’s orders against the UN Palestine Refugee Agency also do not bode well for ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.

4 days ago · UNITED NATIONS, Feb 4 2025 (IPS) - US President Donald Trump’s ominous threat to take over the Panama Canal and Greenland sets the stage for a new political battle with the United Nations. But judging by UN’s track record of failures—including the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine — the world body may lose again while battling a veto-wielding superpower.

Dec 28, 2024 · The world’s troubles deepened in 2024. Civilians bore the brunt of war. Violence in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Haiti, and more displaced over 100 million people worldwide. Over 70% of those killed in Gaza were women and children, according to the UN Human Rights Office. With critical infrastructure in ruins, an estimated 1 million children …

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 30 2025 (IPS) - The Trump administration which regained the White House last week after a four-year hiatus, has come down heavily on thousands of illegal immigrants and hundreds of perceived enemies– triggering a rash of executive orders on military and federal agencies But in the ensuing political chaos, …

SYDNEY, Jan 13 2025 (IPS) - Thank God, we have survived another year of genocide, war, destruction and climate crisis. The passing year of 2024 has been a mixture of hope and despair. It began with some hope as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in favour of South Africa’s case against Israel for committing genocide and ordered Israel to …

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28 2024 (IPS) - Critical levels of nationwide hunger in Sudan has only increased to critical levels since the start of the Sudanese civil war in April 2023. Escalated hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have led to limited mobility and repeated blockages of humanitarian aid.

Jan 27, 2025 · PORTLAND, USA / JERUSALEM, Jan 27 2025 (IPS) - Following the long-sought cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the major challenge for the Israelis and the stateless Palestinians is how to achieve a lasting peace that will end the disastrous cycle of death, destruction, displacement and despair. Several major factors continue to play fundamental roles in the decades-old conflict ...

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 21 2025 (IPS) - On January 15, 2025, the long-awaited ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hamas was approved, bringing the first bout of relief for the people of the Gaza Strip after 15 months of conflict. This has allowed for the exchange of prisoners and hostages between the two nations as well as a greater …