Middle East crisis live: US and Iran in blockade stalemate as Washington’s navy secretary leaves office ‘immediately’

• The UAE is advancing international peace and stability efforts through a combination of diplomacy, dialogue, and humanitarian action. • The government is prioritizing conflict prevention and the protection of civilians to resolve existing global crises.

• A UN commission of inquiry recently accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza while the organization struggled to maintain its global influence. • Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has effectively pushed the UN into a bystander role during current international conflicts.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders this Sunday to prioritize peace, dignity, justice, and humanity. • The appeal comes as leaders prepare to gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, which will be Guterres' final assembly as Secretary-General.

• World leaders are returning to the United Nations assembly to address ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. • The 80-year-old organization is currently facing a combined crisis of morale and finance alongside questions regarding its next leader.

• Israeli security forces are preparing extensive operations in the West Bank following a deadly shooting attack at a local spring. • National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has demanded that the terrorist responsible for the attack be executed.

• World leaders are gathering for the United Nations General Assembly to address ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. • Oxfam is using the event to urge global action on an "inequality emergency" involving climate change, artificial intelligence, and the crisis in Gaza.

• Nearly 130 heads of state are meeting at the United Nations as the organization struggles to maintain its relevance amid global political strain. • The assembly follows a period of tension with the United States, where Donald Trump slashed financial contributions and withdrew from dozens of UN bodies.

Anti-ICE protests break out in push for transparency as unnamed man is in serious but stable condition at hospitalA US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man on Sunday afternoon in Texas’s capital of Austin, local authorities said, and anti-ICE protesters quickly gathered at the scene.The unnamed man was in serious but stable condition at a hospital after being shot once in the torso on the city’s north side, Austin’s police chief, Lisa Davis, said at a news conference with the mayor and other city officials. Continue reading...

Bystanders found all four on the side of the road at Valley Heights on Sunday with stabbing injuriesPolice have alleged that the mother was behind a stabbing attack on three young children that left one dead and two others fighting for their lives in hospital.The woman, aged in her forties, is also in a critical condition. Continue reading...

President’s latest order expected to bring NIH funding under control of Trump administration to align with agendaDonald Trump’s latest executive order is expected to establish a board responsible for approving National Institutes of Health grant funding, marking another attempt by the Trump administration to censor topics that do not align with the president’s agenda.The executive order, reported by outlets including the Washington Post and Politico, was discussed in a meeting on Friday where senior administration officials accused the NIH of funding “woke” initiatives that went against Trump’s political priorities. Continue reading...

Australia and Finland are vying for a spot on the council, and the PM needs two thirds of member states to back himAnthony Albanese launched a formal bid for Australia to serve a two-year term on powerful UN body in 2029 and 2030.Albanese also unveiled former News Corp head of broadcasting Siobhan McKenna as Australia’s next consul-general to New York. Continue reading...

Funding boost for facilities and fixed dates for trials designed to encourage more survivors to come forwardSpecialist courtrooms prioritising cases of rape and other serious sex offences are to be introduced across England and Wales, with campaigners welcoming the move as potentially transformative.The changes, designed to encourage more survivors to come forward, will include the provision of private entrances and waiting rooms, and facilities equipped for recording evidence in advance and observing sentencing remotely. Continue reading...