WORLD NEWS FLASH
UNITED STATES
After years of being able to address migrants in the way they choose, four cities in New Jersey are now facing pushback from Washington.
On May 22, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the cities of Newark, Jersey City, Paterson and Hoboken for proclaiming themselves as “sanctuary cities,” in which they would not take action against individuals who are not legal residents of the country. The first three in that list represent the largest cities in the state.
The DOJ is making the case under the idea that sanctuary city policies present an unconstitutional violation of the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause, in which federal law supersedes state law. Details about the breadth and width of the suit are sparse as, upon deadline, the Trump Administration has not issued a press release detailing the matter.
“The lawsuit against Newark is absurd. We are not standing in the way of public safety. We are upholding the Constitution, providing oversight, and following the laws and guidelines of the State of New Jersey. Nothing in our policies prevents law enforcement from doing their jobs. What we refuse to do is turn our city into an arm of federal immigration enforcement, which the courts have already ruled is not our role,” Mayor Ras J. Baraka said regarding the Department of Justice Lawsuit.
“The comments about safety are not only offensive, they are lies meant to create political scapegoats. Immigrants are far more likely to be victims of crimes than perpetrators, and there is no evidence whatsoever that sanctuary policies make communities less safe. In fact, the opposite is true – we have reduced homicides by 61 percent since I became Mayor. So our policies aren’t just legal, they’re working.
“When people are not living in fear, they are more likely to report crimes, access healthcare, and engage with the institutions meant to protect them. That makes all of us safer.
“We will continue to do what we have always done, protect the rights of all our residents, stand on constitutional ground, and reject fear-based politics that divide communities rather than strengthen them.”
Meanwhile, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop also chimed in, posting on X (fka Twitter), “Jersey City gets sued for being a sanctuary city – I guess MAGA ran out of conspiracy theories for the week. Here is the truth: Jersey City’s policies protect families, reflect our values and have led to record low crime rates. As governor, I won’t be bullied. We’ll fight – and win.”
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla gave his take, posting on the platform, “The Trump administration is suing Hoboken (and Jersey City/Paterson/Newark) for our declaration as a ‘Fair and Welcoming’ city.
“Make no mistake about it – Hoboken will never aid Donald Trump’s inhumane treatment of law abiding immigrants & residents. We will not back down.”
MASS SHOOTING UPDATE
Information from 5-27-2025
2025 Mass Shooting Stats: (Source: Mass Shooting Tracker, https://www.massshootingtracker.site/data/?year=2025)
- Total Mass Shootings: 150
- Total Dead: 200
- Total Wounded: 593
- Shootings Per Day: 1.02
- Days Reached in Year 2025 as of noon May 27: 147
MIDDLE EAST
HEALTH SYSTEM IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE
WHO – Israel’s intensified military operations continue to threaten an already weakened health system, amidst worsening mass population displacement and acute shortages of food, water, medical supplies, fuel and shelter.
Four major hospitals in Gaza (Kamal Adwan Hospital, Indonesia Hospital, Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, and European Gaza Hospital) have had to suspend medical services in the past week due to their proximity to hostilities or evacuation zones, and attacks. WHO has recorded 28 attacks on health care in Gaza during this period and 697 attacks since October 2023.
Only 19 of Gaza Strip’s 36 hospitals remain operational, including one hospital providing basic care for the remaining patients still inside the hospital, and are struggling under severe supply shortages, lack of health workers, persistent insecurity, and a surge of casualties, all while staff work in impossible conditions. Of the 19 hospitals, 12 provide a variety of health services, while the rest are only able to provide basic emergency care. At least 94% of all hospitals in the Gaza Strip are damaged or destroyed.
The increased hostilities and new evacuation orders issued across northern and southern Gaza in the past two days threaten to push even more health facilities out of service. This includes 1 hospital, 11 primary care centers, and 13 medical points within the evacuation zones, and an additional 5 hospitals, 1 field hospital, 9 primary care centers, and 23 medical points within 1000 meters of those zones.
North Gaza has been stripped of nearly all health care. Al-Awda Hospital is only minimally functional, serving as a trauma stabilization point. It faces an imminent risk of closure due to ongoing insecurity and restricted access. The hospital’s third floor was reportedly attacked on May 21, injuring a staff member. Hostilities in the area also damaged the water tank and pipeline.
On May 22, the hospital was attacked again. The third and fourth floors were reportedly hit, injuring two health workers. Patient triage tents, including one provided by WHO, caught fire, which also burned all medical supplies in the warehouse and destroyed vehicles in the basement. A WHO mission attempting to reach the hospital today was impeded.
The Indonesian Hospital is out of service due to continued military presence since 18 May, making it inaccessible. On May 21, a WHO mission to the hospital was forced to abort due to the security situation after waiting nearly four hours for clearance to proceed. WHO team had planned to deliver food and water to patients, assess their conditions, and identify critical equipment for transfer. WHO tried to reach the hospital again today, but the mission was impeded.
Kamal Adwan Hospital, which had the only center to treat patients with severe acute malnutrition in North Gaza, went out of service on May 20 after intense hostilities in its vicinity, forcing patients to evacuate or be discharged prematurely.
In southern Gaza, Nasser Medical Complex, Al-Amal, and Al-Aqsa hospitals are overwhelmed by a surge of injured people, worsened by a new wave of displacement to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. The European Gaza Hospital remains out of service following an attack on May 13, cutting off vital services including neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment – all unavailable elsewhere in Gaza.
Currently, across the Gaza Strip, only 2000 hospital beds remain available, for a population of over 2 million people, grossly insufficient to meet the current needs. Of these, at least 40 beds are at risk of being lost as they are in hospitals within newly declared evacuation zones, while an additional 850 could be lost if conditions deteriorate at facilities near these zones.
Continued hostilities and military presence inhibit patients from accessing care, obstruct staff from providing care, and prevent WHO and partners from resupplying hospitals.
With each hospital forced out of service, patients lose access to health care, and WHO and partners’ efforts, to sustain Gaza’s health system are undone. The destruction is systematic. Hospitals are rehabilitated and resupplied, only to be exposed to hostilities or attacked again. This destructive cycle must end.
Amid constant fear and insecurity, health workers, including those from national and international emergency medical teams, continue delivering urgent care in Gaza. WHO salutes their courage and commitment.
WHO calls for the active protection of health care. Hospitals must never be militarized or targeted.
UNITED KINGDOM
ANIMAL RIGHTS OVERHAULED
A major update was issued in rules for keeping animals in zoos, as the UK government has introduced new standards which will ensure the UK’s famous zoos remain global leaders in the zoo industry.
Larger habitat enclosures for elephants, better training for staff to handle exotic animals, and improved public safety measures will be required as part of the new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain, published Saturday May 24th.
For the first time in over a decade, the rules protecting Great Britain’s most loved zoo animals such as the majestic snowy owl and golden eagle, iconic elephants, and wonders of the sea like sting rays and octopus will be modernized to reflect the very latest in zoo best practice:
- Larger habitats will be introduced for elephants to better replicate the large territories elephants naturally inhabit.
- The practice of tethering birds of prey as a method of long term accommodation will be phased out, with a shift to large aviary enclosures.
- Aquariums will no longer be allowed to let visitors touch fish and cephalopods – creatures such as ray and octopus are highly intelligent animals and handling causes them stress.
Animal Welfare Minister, Baroness Hayman said, “We are a nation of animal lovers, and our best zoos and aquariums are truly world leaders in setting the standard for how wild animals should be kept.
“Today’s long-overdue reforms lay the foundation for an even stronger, even more compassionate future for all zoos and aquariums – and the animals they protect. This is the first step as part of our commitment to deliver the most ambitious animal welfare reforms in a generation.
“We’re making sure all sectors have the tools they need thrive, which is vital in our mission to deliver economic growth and make lives better for people across the country under our Plan for Change.”
Cam Whitnall, Managing Director of The Big Cat Sanctuary and star of CBBC’s One Zoo Three, said, “For too long, zoos have been misunderstood as places of entertainment, but these new standards make it unmistakably clear: modern, good zoos put wildlife first. They are hubs for conservation, education, and world-leading animal care. I’m proud to be part of the UK’s zoo, sanctuary and aquarium community, setting the global benchmark for the welfare of endangered species.
“This is a huge step forward and also a call to action for other countries to now raise their standards, so animals everywhere benefit from the same level of care, and we can align globally for wildlife.”
Other measures in the Standards include:
- Improved conservation – Clear steps to help enforce conservation standards with new requirements for record keeping – helping drive up standards across the whole sector. This could include breeding programs for endangered species, research into animal behavior and reproduction, and education to raise awareness about conservation issues. There will also be a curb on the sourcing of animals from the wild.
- Protecting the public – All zoos will need to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place if they want to keep dangerous animals, including double-gated entry systems, lone worker procedures, and the appropriate availability of firearms.
- Updated business plans – To ensure zoos are prepared to protect animals in the event of financial hardship, they will now be required to develop clear business continuity plans
There is a two year timeline on zoos and aquariums to adapt to the changes, with further phased timelines for some species-specific changes. This gives enough time to implement the changes efficiently, while support and guidance will be available -keeping welfare at the heart of zoo operations.
These changes, part of the wider Plan for Change, will modernize the way animals are cared for in zoos and aquariums and reaffirm the UK’s position as a global leader in ethical and responsible wildlife management.
UKRAINE
RUSSIAN ATTACKS DECRIED
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has deplored a deadly wave of Russian missile and drone strikes that reportedly killed at least 13 civilians and injured 65 others, warning that the attack underscores the grave risks of using powerful explosive weapons in populated areas.
According to the UN mission, the overnight assault from Saturday into Sunday – one of the largest of its kind since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 – resulted in civilian casualties and damage to homes and infrastructure across 10 regions of Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv.
At least three children were among those killed and nine children were reported injured. The mission is currently working to verify the full extent of the casualties and the broader impact of the attack.
“With at least 78 people reported killed or injured across the country, last night’s attack tragically demonstrates the persistent deadly risk to civilians of using powerful weapons in urban areas, including those far away from the frontline,” Danielle Bell, HRMMU Head, said in a news release on Sunday.
“It is yet another addition to the staggering human toll this war continues to inflict on civilians, with more families across the country now grieving their losses.”
Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, also voiced deep concern over the civilian suffering.
“I am horrified that yet again civilians – among them children – were killed in last night’s massive attacks,” he said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.
“Across Ukraine, no place is safe. Homes and civilian infrastructure were hit. Grateful to humanitarian NGOs and state services who are immediately supporting affected people. Civilians must never be a target.”
Ukrainian authorities reported that the Russian armed forces launched at least 367 missiles and loitering munitions during the night, in a coordinated attack with air, sea and land-based systems.
The strike followed a similar assault the previous night, which had mainly targeted the Kyiv region.
