Industrialisation without destruction: A UN blueprint for the future

This article is published in association with United Nations.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Since the 19th century, industrialisation has had a transformative effect on the world, both positive and negative. It has created jobs and lifted millions out of poverty. But it has also had devastating consequences; destroying ecosystems, polluting the air, and driving the climate crisis that threatens to […]

Gaza: Humanitarian response ongoing despite restrictions

© UNICEF/Mohammed Nateel Children sit outside a tent in Gaza.

This article is published in association with United Nations.  Although “significant restrictions and impediments” continue to hamper humanitarian operations in Gaza, teams are still responding to the population’s needs, the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on Wednesday.  “As part of these efforts, the UN and its partners offload more essential supplies at crossings around Gaza […]

DR Congo: Displaced people in South Kivu close to ‘utter desperation’, WFP says

© WFP/Musa Abema Newly displaced people line up for WFP asssitance in South Kivu Province, DR Congo.

This article is published in association with United Nations. An estimated 500,000 people have been forced from their homes since fighting erupted in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), at the beginning of December.  That’s according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), which announced on Tuesday that it is scaling up to deliver aid to more than 210,000 people displaced by the […]

Security Council remains divided over Iran nuclear programme, sanctions stay in place

Security Council remains divided over Iran nuclear programme, sanctions stay in place

This article is published in association with United Nations. At a meeting to discuss nuclear non-proliferation on Tuesday, the Security Council’s stance on Iran’s nuclear activities remained divided on the issue, split between those who support the reinstatement of sanctions, and the members who believe the sanctions should be permanently lifted, whilst questioning the legality of […]

Myanmar elections marked by fear as UN warns civilians are coerced from all sides

Unsplash/Kyle Petzer A pagoda at dawn in downtown Yangon, the commercial hub of Myanmar.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Peace and Security As Myanmar approaches elections scheduled for 28 December, the UN’s top human rights official has said that civilians are being coerced from all sides – forced by the military to vote and threatened by armed opposition groups to boycott – in a climate of […]

World News in Brief: Gaza aid restrictions, Syria humanitarian needs, lawyer reprisals in Burundi

World News in Brief: Gaza aid restrictions, Syria humanitarian needs, lawyer reprisals in Burundi

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN and partners continue to provide assistance to people in Gaza, where recent winter storms have worsened conditions for thousands across the enclave.  However, the humanitarian response has not been able to keep pace with needs due to ongoing restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities, the UN […]

New package of measures to boost circular economy and strengthen Europe’s plastic recycling

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has unveiled a first set of pilot actions to accelerate Europe’s transition to a circular economy, with a particular focus on the plastics sector. By optimising the recycling of plastics, these measures will further unlock the potential of the Single Market […]

Commission amends ETS State aid Guidelines to tackle carbon leakage for more energy-intensive industries

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today adopted an amendment to the Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading post-2021 (‘ETS State aid Guidelines’). As announced in the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan, the amendment […]

Commission approves €167.8 million French restructuring aid to Corsair

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, French restructuring aid of a total of €167.8 million to airline Corsair. The aid consists of an €80 million write-off on loans that were approved by the Commission in December 2020 and €87.8 million […]

Overnight strikes leave death, destruction and power outages in Ukraine

© UNOCHA A UN worker in Ukraine inspects a building damaged in the ongoing war with Russia. (file)

This article is published in association with United Nations. A new wave of overnight strikes and front-line hostilities in Ukraine have caused further civilian casualties and damage to critical energy infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday. Several civilians were killed and nearly 30 injured, including children, according to […]

Synthetic drug market disrupted in Syria after regime change

© UNODC Captagon is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the Gulf States.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Past geopolitical tensions related to the synthetic drug “captagon” are now being mitigated with the Syrian authorities’ commitment to dismantle illicit manufacturing, says the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Captagon, a highly addictive stimulant, has been circulating illegally from the Middle East to Africa […]

Weekend attacks in Ukraine bring more casualties, damage infrastructure

This article is published in association with United Nations.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Hostilities in Ukraine this weekend resulted in more civilian casualties and widespread damage to critical infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Monday.   Between Friday and early morning Monday, Ukrainian authorities said that over a dozen civilians were killed and more than 70 others injured, […]

Somalia: Funding cuts impact assistance to millions affected by drought

© UNICEF/Said Fadhaye Families living in a settlement near Baidoa in Somalia have been driven from their homes by drought and conflict and are trying to rebuild their lives.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Brutal slashes to aid budgets are hampering efforts to assist millions of people in Somalia affected by drought, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.  More than 4.6 million people across the country, roughly a quarter of the population, are impacted, according to local authorities.  “Partners […]

UN warns Sudan war entering deadlier phase as fighting spreads in Kordofan

© UNICEF/Ahmed Satti Children walk at a camp for displaced persons in Port Sudan, which is hosting families who fled violence across the country, including Darfur and Kordofan regions.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The war in Sudan is entering a deadlier phase, the United Nations has warned, as intensified fighting in the Kordofan region, mounting civilian casualties from drone strikes and growing risks of regional spillover push the conflict toward the 1,000-day mark. Briefing the Security Council on Monday, senior […]

Commission reports on partner countries’ compliance with visa-free travel requirements

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission adopted its eighth report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism, monitoring the EU’s visa-free regimes. While most partner countries have taken steps to address the recommendations issued under previous Visa Suspension Mechanism reports, significant challenges persist. Visa liberalisation is an important part […]

Commission extends nitrates derogation for Ireland

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission extended Ireland’s derogation under the Nitrates Directive for a further three years, starting 1 January 2026. This decision follows the approval of the Commission’s proposal by Member States on 9 December. It is subject to additional conditions, including the evaluation of […]

EU companies increase research and development investments in key sectors

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. EU companies drove strong research and development (R&D) growth in energy, health, aerospace and defence in 2024, according to the 2025 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard published today. While the report highlights Europe’s leadership in key industries, it also underscores the intense pressure from […]

EU and Japan successfully conclude Horizon Europe negotiations

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission and Japan have successfully concluded negotiations on Japan’s association to Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship €93.5 billion research and innovation funding programme. The agreement, expected to be signed in 2026, represents the closest form of collaboration offered by the EU to […]

Commission approves €61 million Belgian rescue aid for Lineas Group

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a Belgian €61 million rescue loan to rail freight operator Lineas Group SA/NV. In parallel, following a complaint the Commission received from a stakeholder, it has concluded that two past measures relating to Lineas […]

Winter aid delivery continues in Gaza

UN News As rain falls over Gaza, children take refuge beneath a disabled fishing boat, one of the few places offering shelter in the overcrowded displacement area.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Despite the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, humanitarians continue to receive reports of airstrikes, shelling and gunfire in all five governorates, the United Nations said on Monday.  This has resulted in casualties and disruptions to aid operations over the past 24 hours, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at Headquarters, in New […]

Security Council renews DR Congo peacekeeping mission amid renewed M23 offensives in the east

MONUSCO/Force MONUSCO peacekeepers on patrol in Ituri, eastern DR Congo. (file photo)

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for another year, as fighting in the country’s east intensified amid renewed offensives by the M23 rebel group. Resolution 2808 (2025) extends the mandate […]

Security Council hears of fading election prospects in Libya

UN Photo/Evan Schneider Hanna Serwaa Tetteh (on screen), Special Representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Libya.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The path to long-awaited elections in Libya is paved with complications but they can be overcome, the UN Special Representative for the country said on Friday in a briefing to the Security Council. Hannah S. Tetteh, who also heads the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), stressed […]

EIB provides over €74 million to support essential public services across Ukraine

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB), the bank of the European Union, has disbursed more than €74 million to support investments across Ukraine that help maintain essential services during the war. The financing supports the reconstruction and energy-efficient refurbishment of education, healthcare and social facilities, while also strengthening […]

New green financing model launched in Serbia

New green financing model launched in Serbia

New green financing model launched in Serbia

Commission partially greenlights Cyprus’s fifth payment request for €70.5 million under NextGenerationEU

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission assessed Cyprus’s fifth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. The Commission found that Cyprus satisfactorily completed 10 out of 11 milestones and all 8 targets set out in the Council Implementing Decision for the […]

Commission proposes to extend Interim Regulation allowing providers to continue voluntary detection and reporting of child sexual abuse

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission proposed an extension of the Interim Regulation, laying down a derogation from certain provisions of the e-Privacy Directive for the purpose of combating online child sexual abuse. This will allow providers of certain number-independent interpersonal communication services to continue voluntary detection and reporting of […]

Commission welcomes agreement on the Retail investment Strategy

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission welcomes the political agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the Retail Investment Strategy. The new measures will empower retail investors to make informed decisions that match their individual needs and preferences, while ensuring that they […]

Commission renews decisions to allow for the free and safe flow of personal data with the UK

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission renewed the two 2021 adequacy decisions for the free flow of personal data with the United Kingdom. The decisions ensure that personal data can continue flowing freely and safely between the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom, as the […]

World News in Brief: More UN staff detentions in Yemen, peacekeepers killed in Sudan sent home, attacks in Ukraine

© IOM/Haithm Abdulbaqi A woman in Yemen walks through an area devastated by floods.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Secretary-General on Friday condemned the arbitrary detention of 10 more UN personnel by Houthi de facto authorities in Yemen, warning that the growing crackdown is crippling humanitarian operations and putting millions of lives at risk. This latest incident, which occurred on Thursday, brings the total […]

Gaza famine pushed back, but millions still face hunger and malnutrition, UN says

© UNICEF/Mohammed Nateel Hunger and malnutrition rates remain alarmingly high across Gaza Strip. Pictured here, a woman prepares food in Gaza City after a night of rain and wind.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Food security in Gaza has improved since the ceasefire declared in October, pushing back famine conditions, but the situation remains critical with more than three-quarters of the population still facing acute hunger and malnutrition, a new UN-backed analysis has found. According to the latest IPC report – […]

Sudan war: World urged not to ignore ‘gruesome sexual violence’

© UNOCHA/Mohamed Elgoni Aid is provided to people who have fled El Fasher in Darfur, Sudan.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Harrowing new details emerged on Thursday in a UN report detailing targeted sexual violence and summary executions in Sudan’s North Darfur region, attributed to paramilitary fighters who overran the city of El Fasher in late October. Issued by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, the report describes […]

Syria’s humanitarian needs remain high despite reduced violence, UN warns

Syria’s humanitarian needs remain high despite reduced violence, UN warns

© UNICEF/Yousef Joumaa
Many towns and cities suffered extensive damage during the Syrian civil war. Pictured here, UNICEF goodwill ambassador and Syrian actor Qays Sheikh Najib stands amid rubble and debris in Rural Damascus.

World News in Brief: UN to evacuate Kadugli base in Sudan, celebrating migrant contributions, ending colonialism

This article is published in association with United Nations. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) will evacuate its logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan, in the wake of the “heinous attack” this past weekend that killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and seriously injured eight others.  “The decision, which was communicated to the relevant authorities, follows […]

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