community groups

The United Nations has added more than 60 companies to its blacklist of firms operating in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The move targets businesses deemed to be involved in activities supporting the settlements, which Israel disputes and much of the international community considers illegal. The decision is expected to draw strong reactions from Israel, the United States and human rights groups.

Mathematician Terence Tao has written about the creation of an Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, a body intended to advise on how AI intersects with mathematical research. The announcement is drawing attention in the tech and mathematics communities, where Tao is widely regarded as one of the most influential voices on AI's role in science.

The Trump administration has cancelled federal funding for programmes serving refugees, immigrants and other groups, saying the services are no longer needed. The cuts affect organisations that provide resettlement assistance and related support. Critics are likely to challenge the move, which signals a continued sharp reduction in government spending on immigration and refugee programs.

A group of Palestinians in Belgium have begun a hunger strike to press the Belgian government to evacuate their family members from Gaza, where the ongoing war has created severe humanitarian conditions. The protesters are calling on Brussels to grant humanitarian visas and organise safe passage out of the territory, joining wider European advocacy efforts by Palestinian diaspora communities.

OpenAI has announced the creation of an Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence. The initiative brings together experts to examine how AI systems relate to mathematical research and reasoning, and how the two fields can inform each other. The announcement is drawing attention among technologists debating AI's growing role in scientific and mathematical work.

Senators Ed Markey and Jeff Merkley, along with Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley, have reintroduced legislation that would stop federal government use of facial recognition and other biometric surveillance technology. The measure, first put forward in earlier sessions of Congress, targets concerns over misidentification, privacy violations and disproportionate policing of communities of color, renewing a debate among civil liberties groups, law enforcement agencies and technology firms.

New analysis indicates that American attitudes toward climate change cannot be reduced to race alone: views vary significantly within racial and ethnic groups and track party affiliation more closely than identity. The findings suggest political partisanship is a stronger predictor of climate beliefs than demographic background, complicating common assumptions about how different communities in the United States perceive environmental issues and climate policy.

A coalition of faith, labor and civil rights organizations has announced a campaign to mobilize voters across the American South for the November elections and beyond. The effort aims to increase turnout among communities that these groups historically represent. The long-term focus suggests the coalition plans sustained organizing beyond a single election cycle.

A major conference on inclusion is set to take place in Leeds next month, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post. The event is described as a significant gathering for West Yorkshire, though details on organisers, speakers and attendees have not yet been confirmed. Inclusion events in the region typically bring together educators, community groups and public bodies.

Hurricane Nolo is moving across the Pacific, and the humanitarian medical organization Direct Relief says it is monitoring the storm's impacts on affected communities. The group, which supplies medical aid during disasters, is tracking damage and health needs as the hurricane progresses. Details on affected areas and casualties remain limited so far.