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UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese said on Saturday that Israel uses torture against Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention centers and against the wider Palestinian population in the occupied territories.

Her remarks came after a New York Times investigation by Nicholas Kristof said that torture and sexual violence against Palestinian prisoners had become systematic in Israeli custody.

Albanese shared her report Torture and Genocide, which was prepared for the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The report examined the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967 and focuses on Israel’s treatment of Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023.

According to the report, torture has long been a central part of Israel’s dispossession of Palestinians. It says that since October 2023, Israel has used torture on a scale that suggests collective revenge and destructive intent and that the rise in torture inside Israeli detention facilities reflects a coordinated policy.

The report also refers to Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, saying he ordered Palestinian prisoners labeled as terrorists to be kept handcuffed in dark cells and exposed continuously to the Israeli national anthem.

Albanese’s report argued that torture is not limited to prisons or interrogation rooms.

It said Palestinians are also subjected to torture through mass displacement, siege, restrictions on humanitarian aid and food, military violence, and attacks by Israeli occupiers.

The report stated that Israeli authorities have created an environment intended to break Palestinian resistance, dignity, and determination across the occupied territories.

It also argued that systematic torture of an entire population can serve both as a means of domination and as evidence of genocidal intent under the Genocide Convention.

The New York Times investigation, published on May 11, included allegations that Israeli soldiers, occupiers, and prison guards subjected Palestinian detainees to rape, sexual abuse of children, physical torture, degrading treatment, and other forms of mistreatment.

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tel Aviv would sue The New York Times over the allegations in its report.

US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to a new low in his second term, falling to 37% as voter dissatisfaction grows over the economy, inflation and the ongoing war with Iran, according to polling released Monday. The survey findings show widening disapproval among independents and increasing concern over cost-of-living pressures ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

About 37% of voters approve of Trump’s job performance, according to a New York Times/Siena poll, down 3% from January. The disapproval among independents has risen sharply, with 69% now saying they disapprove of the president’s performance, compared with 62% earlier this year.

Republican support remains largely intact, but independents, a key swing group, are increasingly negative on Trump’s leadership.

Economic sentiment remains a major factor behind the decline. Around 64% of voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 69% disapprove of his management of cost-of-living issues, according to the NYT survey.

A separate CBS poll found that 65% of respondents believe Trump’s policies are making the economy worse in the short term. Among Republicans, 37% now disapprove of his handling of inflation, an increase of 11 percentage points since March.

Polling also suggests growing backlash over US involvement in the Iran conflict. About 65% of voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the war, while fewer than a quarter believe it has been worth its estimated $29 billion cost, according to the NYT survey.

Nearly 64% of Americans said going to war with Iran was the wrong decision, including 73% of independents.

In addition, CBS polling shows 69% of respondents say they do not understand what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz, while 59% report financial hardship due to higher gas prices.

In addition, CBS polling shows 69% of respondents say they do not understand what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz, while 59% report financial hardship due to higher gas prices.

Meanwhile, 35% of Americans say Democrats have a better approach to the economy compared to 31% who favour Republicans, according to CBS. The NYT/Siena poll of 1,507 registered voters was conducted between May 11 and May 15, with a margin of error of 2.8 points.

The Trump administration allowed a waiver that encouraged more Russian crude sales to lapse, even as the Iran war stokes concerns about global oil supplies and higher fuel costs.

The expiration effectively ends for now a brief period where the administration eased sanctions on some Russian oil, enabling purchases that would otherwise be barred. The Trump administration issued an initial waiver in March and a second after the first expired in April — both applying only to a subset of Russian oil that had already been loaded onto tankers.

The waivers have been controversial, especially with European allies who see sanctions as essential to starving Russia of crude revenue and depriving Moscow funding for its war in Ukraine. Critics say the sanctions relief has served to enrich Moscow — even though it’s been limited to waterborne oil — especially as crude prices surge.

But some countries, including India and Indonesia, had lobbied the Trump administration for extended sanctions waivers, as the Iran war and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz deprive global markets of millions of barrels of crude daily.

The Trump administration has also pivoted on the issue, responding to entreaties from countries heavily reliant on crude imports. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in April initially said the US would not renew the sanctions waiver allowing purchases of some Russian crude before ultimately issuing a new authorization two days later.

He told a Senate panel the shift came after “more than 10 of the most vulnerable and poorest countries in terms of energy” approached him seeking an extension. Bessent has called the previous moves necessary to promote stability in global energy markets amid the Middle East conflict.

Just as in April, lobbying from Asian allies and more tightness in the oil market could still prompt the administration to to issue a new waiver later.

The administration allowed a separate temporary waiver enabling purchases of some Iranian crude to expire in April.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, has surged since the Iran war began, driving higher prices for gasoline, diesel and other products made from it. Supply disruptions tied to Hormuz also have sent some buyers scrambling for new cargoes, including from the US.

The US government has taken several other steps to tame impacts from the energy shock, which the International Energy Agency has called the biggest supply disruption in the history of the oil market. The Trump administration is allowing foreign vessels to carry crude and other commodities between American ports through mid-August. It’s also temporarily waived some domestic fuel specific.

As US President Donald Trump wrapped up his whirlwind visit to China, members of his delegation reportedly disposed of burner phones, gifts, credentials and other materials before departing from the country.

According to The Mirror US, staffers gathered items distributed by Chinese officials to the American delegation and discarded them before boarding Air Force One. The move appeared to be part of strict security precautions during Trump’s visit to Beijing.

Officials travelling with Trump to Beijing used only “burner phones" — temporary devices meant for limited use during overseas visits — and were later told to dispose of or destroy them after returning to the US, underscoring deep American concerns over cybersecurity and espionage risks.

The security precautions extended beyond electronics. The delegation was also asked to discard gifts, badges, pins as well as commemorative souvenirs.

A New York Post reporter shared details from the scene on X, writing that the discarded items included “credentials, burner phones from WH staff, pins for delegation.”

According to accounts circulating online, all such items were reportedly discarded on-site and officials were instructed not to bring any China-origin items aboard the aircraft.

Security experts have long warned that phones, laptops and even seemingly harmless items can potentially be compromised or monitored during overseas trips involving sensitive government discussions.

Trump's China visit

Trump’s visit concluded after multiple meetings with Xi Jinping at Zhongnanhai, the Chinese leadership compound in Beijing. The leaders were also seen walking through the historic estate’s gardens and covered walkways before holding lengthy talks with advisers and interpreters present.

“It’s been really a great couple of days,” Trump told reporters after the summit.

Despite the cordial public tone, serious disagreements remain between Washington and Beijing on issues including Taiwan and Iran.