minorities

A Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy has killed two civilians, among them a teenager, and wounded five others, according to Ukrainian media reports. The strike is being described as another war crime against civilians, with calls circulating for accountability at the ICC in The Hague and renewed attention from European institutions.

Two teenagers with ISIS-inspired sympathies considered several other potential targets in New York City before settling on a protest near Gracie Mansion, according to law enforcement sources cited by ABC News. The revelation has raised fresh concerns about radicalization among minors and how authorities detect and disrupt plots involving young suspects before they can act.

The Israeli military has released footage it says shows a Gaza militant using a child to transport weapons. The video, published by the IDF, is being circulated as evidence of armed groups using minors in combat operations, a claim that fuels the ongoing debate over the conduct of the war and the protection of children in Gaza.

CNN reports from a Texas immigration court where unaccompanied migrant children navigate deportation proceedings, many without lawyers or family support. One child's words, 'I have no one', capture the isolation faced by minors asked to argue their own cases. The report highlights the stakes of immigration court for children facing removal.

Migrant children are appearing in US immigration court proceedings without legal representation, according to CNN Politics reporting. The issue has drawn attention because children navigating complex deportation hearings on their own face steep odds, and the shortage of lawyers taking on minors' cases raises questions about due process and how the court system handles young defendants.

The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognisance of the gang-rape of a minor girl aboard a moving bus in the Delhi-NCR region. By acting on its own initiative without a petition, the court has signalled the severity of the case. The incident has renewed public anger over the safety of women and children on public transport in the capital region.

Reports from outlets including AZ Luminaria, The 19th News and Nation of Change describe children, among them US citizens, suffering harm from the Trump administration's immigration enforcement crackdown. Accounts detail family separations, parental detentions and psychological distress affecting minors, with citizen children caught up despite their legal status.

Migrant children are appearing before US immigration judges without legal representation, raising concerns among advocates who say unrepresented minors cannot navigate complex deportation proceedings on their own. Reports from immigration courts highlight the scale of the problem, and rights groups are calling for guaranteed access to counsel for children in removal cases.

Immigration arrests are rising sharply, and the impact on children is at the centre of the concern. Human Rights Watch reports children experiencing anguish as families are detained or separated during the enforcement sweep. Rights groups warn the crackdown is inflicting serious psychological harm on minors caught up in arrests, and the surge is drawing scrutiny over the treatment of children in immigration enforcement.

Social media companies in the European Union are facing lawsuits alleging that their platforms cause mental health and safety harms to minors. The claims centre on the design and operation of services used by young people, and reflect growing legal and regulatory pressure on technology firms to protect children online. Further details about the plaintiffs and specific companies involved remain limited.

Donald Trump has sharply criticized the United Nations, accusing it of ignoring the persecution of Christians worldwide and endorsing practices he describes as the mutilation of children, in remarks being widely circulated by commentators focused on religious freedom and human rights. Supporters are echoing his claims, while the comments add to ongoing debate over the UN's record on protecting religious minorities and children's rights.

A police officer fired a tear gas grenade at point-blank range into the face of a high school student taking part in a blockade of the Château d'Épluches vocational high school in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, France, on Thursday morning. The incident, reported by the monitoring account AlertesInfos, is drawing outrage online, with many questioning the proportionate use of force against a minor during a student protest.

Footage circulating shows a Gaza militant using a child to transport weapons. The images were carried by Israel National News, which framed them as evidence of armed groups endangering minors in the Gaza war. The claim has not been independently verified, and no response from Gaza-based factions has been reported.

Warnings are mounting that Palestinian children in Gaza are fast running out of time as the territory endures ongoing bombardment, displacement and severe shortages of food, water and medical care. Humanitarian organisations say children are dying from malnutrition and untreated injuries, and are urging an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded aid deliveries and international action to protect the civilian population, especially minors.

Israel's election campaign is being described as the most racist in the country's history. Commentary in the Israeli press points to inflammatory rhetoric targeting Arab citizens and Palestinian voices as a defining feature of the race, with politicians competing over increasingly hardline positions. Observers warn the campaign is normalising open hostility toward minorities and reshaping the tone of Israeli politics.

Junts, the Catalan party led by Carles Puigdemont, has announced it will vote against the Spanish Government's two housing decrees, a move that could bring down Pedro Sánchez's minority administration. With the Socialists relying on Junts' support in Congress, the rejection threatens the survival of the legislature and raises the prospect of early elections or fresh negotiations with the Catalan party.

The Roma Rights Network has published a report documenting persecution of Roma communities across Europe, an account also flagged by Genocide Watch. The findings describe ongoing discrimination, harassment and threats facing Roma people, and are drawing attention to how European states protect one of the continent's largest ethnic minorities.

Human rights lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill has raised concerns over the lack of justice and accountability following attacks on Christians in Pakistan around Easter. Writing in the Pakistan Christian Post, he argues that authorities have failed to adequately protect the Christian minority or hold perpetrators responsible. Gill, a known defender of Pakistan's persecuted communities, is calling for greater legal action and state protection for religious minorities.

Advocacy commentary is highlighting the plight of migrant children who must appear in immigration court proceedings without legal representation or a guardian. Critics argue that requiring a child to navigate complex deportation hearings alone is unjust and inhumane, renewing debate over how the immigration system treats unaccompanied minors.

A 17-year-old girl has told Delhi police that three men threatened her and her friend in Aastha Kunj Park on her birthday, claimed to be policemen and allegedly raped her at different spots inside the park. Her account has sparked outrage and renewed concerns about women's safety in public spaces in the capital.