Nuclear terror threat ‘has never been so high’

UN Photo/Milton Grant Sculpture depicting St. George slaying the dragon. The dragon is created from fragments of Soviet SS-20 andUnited States Pershing nuclear missiles.This article is published in association with United Nations. The widespread availability of new technology, such as militarised drones and artificial intelligence, means that the current threat of nuclear terrorism is higher than it has ever been. The humanitarian, environmental, and economic consequences of a radiological or nuclear terrorist attack would be global, undermining international peace […]

As war displaces millions in DR Congo, new schools offer children hope beyond violence

©UNICEF /Carmel Ndomba Mbikayi Shadrac Anyazaka in his classroom in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.This article is published in association with United Nations. Ten-year-old Shadrac Anyazaka does not hesitate when asked about his future. “After finishing my studies, I would like to become President of the Republic one day,” he tells visitors to his school in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). For another student, Jérémie, dreams are shaped […]

Turning silence into stories: Cambodian activist amplifies LGBTQI+ youth voices

©Unsplash /Paul Szewczyk The skyline of Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia.This article is published in association with United Nations. Cambodian activist Panha Theng, a 2025 UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, says visibility and safe spaces remain critical for LGBTQI+ youth across Southeast Asia amid continuing stigma and discrimination. Growing up in Cambodia, Panha rarely saw LGBTQI+ people reflected in the world around her […]

Sudan hunger crisis deepens as UN warns millions face acute food shortages

© UNICEF/Antony Spalton Children and their families stand near temporary shelters at an IDP camp in central Darfur, Sudan. (file photo)This article is published in association with United Nations. Nearly 20 million people across Sudan are facing acute hunger and more than 800,000 children risk severe malnutrition this year, UN agencies warned on Friday, as civil war, mass displacement and collapsing food and health systems deepen one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and push parts […]

WHO sounds alarm over nicotine pouches targeting young people

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Brightly coloured nicotine pouches promoted through social media influencers, music festivals and youth-oriented advertising are driving a rapid rise in nicotine use among young people worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday. In a new report, the UN health agency described the “deceptive tactics” manufacturers […]

World News in Brief: UN relief vehicle struck in Ukraine, emergency airdrops in South Sudan, backlash against LGBTIQ+ rights

© UNDSS/Oleksii Obuhov A UN vehicle severely damaged by two drone strikes while delivering supplies to civilians living in Ostriv, one of Kherson’s hardest hit areas.This article is published in association with United Nations. The Secretary-General is alarmed that a clearly marked United Nations vehicle was struck twice in Kherson city in Ukraine on 14 May, his spokesperson said in a statement. Tweet URL https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=UN_News_Centre&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2055040228528636344&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.un.org%2Fen%2Fstory%2F2026%2F05%2F1167525&sessionId=7c5b79ec7a55c8721fa382b72a6ad299dd591146&siteScreenName=UN_News_Centre&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px The vehicle was part of an inter-agency humanitarian mission led by OCHA, the UN humanitarian affairs […]

World Urban Forum opens in Baku as housing crisis and climate shocks intensify

© UN-Habitat Baku, Azerbaijan, will host the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) from 17–22 May 2026, organized by UN-Habitat and the Government of Azerbaijan.This article is published in association with United Nations. Soaring housing costs, climate shocks and conflicts are leaving millions without adequate shelter – but what can be done? As the 13th UN World Urban Forum opens on Sunday in Baku, Azerbaijan, participants will grapple with solutions to a deepening global housing crisis. The conference, organized by […]

Somalia at ‘real risk of famine’ as Middle East war fallout continues

© UNICEF/Zerihun Sewunet A boy rolls a water container in Dollow on the Somali border with Ethiopia.This article is published in association with United Nations. At least six million people in Somalia are going days without enough food, UN aid teams warned on Friday, highlighting that nearly two million of this number are young children “at high risk of illness or death”. “The humanitarian context in Somalia is worsening faster than we originally […]

HIV prevention and treatment services faltering, warns UNAIDS

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Decades of gains in the fight against AIDS are under growing threat as donor funding declines and community-based health services collapse in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries, the head of the joint UN programme on HIV/AIDS warned on Thursday. The sudden funding decline is hitting […]

Afghan mothers and children face worsening hunger crisis, WFP warns

This article is published in association with United Nations. Afghanistan’s deepening malnutrition crisis is pushing mothers and children to the brink, the UN World Food Programme has warned, as mass returns from neighbouring countries and severe funding shortfalls overwhelm already strained humanitarian operations. “WFP has been sounding alarm bells for months,” Carl Skau, WFP Deputy Executive […]

Ebola outbreak in Central Africa declared a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’

UNICEF/Vincent Tremeau A health worker checks a child for Ebola during an earlier outbreak in DR Congo (file, 2019)This article is published in association with United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing rising cases, cross-border spread and significant uncertainties about the scale of the epidemic. The decision, announced by WHO […]

Global energy and trade disruption pushing millions towards poverty

© UNICEF/Nyan Zay Htet Recent disruptions to energy supplies and global supply chains have reverberated across development and humanitarian sectors, including relief efforts in Myanmar, where millions remain in need of assistance.This article is published in association with United Nations. Disruptions to global energy supplies and trade corridors are driving up the cost of food, transport and essential goods worldwide, slowing economic growth and increasing pressure on vulnerable households and debt-strapped developing countries. The warnings came during a special meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council […]

WHO says hantavirus ship operation completed, monitoring to continue

© WHO/Hedinn Halldorsson Partners and authorities supporting response and coordination operations in Tenerife's Port of Granadilla.This article is published in association with United Nations. A complex international operation to disembark and repatriate passengers from the hantavirus-hit MV Hondius has concluded in Tenerife, with the World Health Organization (WHO) praising Spain’s leadership while warning that global coordination must continue in the weeks ahead. Almost 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries had […]

UN rights chief warns abuses in DPR Korea remain a ‘human rights crisis’

UN Photo/Loey Felipe Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. (file)This article is published in association with United Nations. Serious human rights violations continue in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and must not be allowed to fade from international attention, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Wednesday. “The situation in the DPRK is a human rights crisis and it is […]

HIV prevention and treatment services faltering, warns UNAIDS

This article is published in association with United Nations.Decades of gains in the fight against AIDS are under growing threat as donor funding declines and community-based health services collapse in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries, the head of the joint UN programme on HIV/AIDS warned on Thursday. The sudden funding decline is hitting the HIV response “like a shock wave,” said […]

UN welcomes $1.8 billion US boost for humanitarian operations

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher (centre) along with Ambassador Mike Waltz (right) and Jeremy P. Lewin of the United States hold a joint press briefing on funding to the humanitarian system.This article is published in association with United Nations. An additional $1.8 billion in US humanitarian funding will allow the United Nations and its partners to expand emergency relief operations reaching millions of people worldwide, as rising global needs and funding shortfalls force aid agencies to scale back assistance. The funding announcement, made on Wednesday by […]

Lebanon: UN peacekeeping force warns drone incidents near its positions are putting personnel at risk

© UNIFIL/Kandice Ardiel A peacekeeper monitors the Green Hill area in Naqoura, Lebanon.This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Wednesday that escalating drone activity and nearby explosions involving suspected Hezbollah drones and Israeli forces are endangering its personnel and threatening already fragile stability in southern Lebanon. The warning came amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah fighters, […]

Funding shortfalls force deep cuts to Syria food assistance: WFP

© UNOCHA/Sevim Turkmani Trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrive in Ain Al Arab, Syria, in February 2026.This article is published in association with United Nations. Millions of Syrians are at growing risk of hunger after severe funding shortages forced the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to halve emergency food assistance, cutting support for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people across the country. UN officials warn that the cuts come at a dangerous […]

Recycled plastics for food use require stronger safeguards, warn UN food security experts

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.This article is published in association with United Nations. Recycled plastics could help reduce the world’s growing waste crisis, but only if food packaging is carefully regulated to prevent contamination, according to a new analysis from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The UN food security agency warns that recycled plastics and alternative packaging materials […]

Autism Spectrum Disorders in Global Health: Awareness, Early Diagnosis, and Inclusive Care

Hijran Pirmammadova is a third-year medical student at Azerbaijan Medical UniversityThis article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Hijran Pirmammadova, a third-year medical student at Azerbaijan Medical University. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the […]

World News in Brief: Mounting waste in Gaza, drone attacks in Sudan, aid truck struck in Ukraine

© WHO/Hanan Balkhy Displaced families are living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, surrounded by waste and debris, with limited access to safe water and sanitation services.This article is published in association with United Nations. Mounting waste and limited access to sanitation sites are deepening health risks for families across Gaza, as humanitarian workers warn that overcrowded dumping areas and worsening living conditions threaten vulnerable communities. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN’s top aid official in Occupied Palestinian Territory visited a dumping site in Gaza […]

World News in Brief: Conflict drives hunger in DR Congo, mass corporal punishment in Afghanistan, Earth’s sand is running out

© WFP/Benjamin Anguandia The UN is providing lifesaving assistance to crisis-affected communities across DR Congo.This article is published in association with United Nations. More than 26.5 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are facing acute hunger, according to a new analysis from UN-backed food security experts published Tuesday. Ongoing conflict in the country’s east is driving mass displacement and pushing millions into crisis or emergency levels of […]

Guterres highlights Africa’s leadership in speech to summit in Nairobi 

UN Nairobi/Julius Mwelu Secretary-General António Guterres delivers remarks to the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.This article is published in association with United Nations. Africa continues to advance and demands investment at scale, justice in global systems, and partnerships grounded in respect, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday. The UN chief was speaking at the opening of the Africa Forward Summit, co-hosted in Nairobi by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron.  “The name of this Summit […]

World News in Brief: Human rights in Mongolia, surge in sexual violence in Haiti, worsening hunger in Afghanistan

© WFP/Mohammad Hasib Hazinyar More than 13.8 million people now face acute food insecurity in Afghanistan.This article is published in association with United Nations. UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Monday praised Mongolia’s recent human rights progress during a visit to the country, which recently adopted the region’s first law protecting human rights defenders. Tweet URL https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=UN_News_Centre&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2053857427171274867&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.un.org%2Fen%2Fstory%2F2026%2F05%2F1167484&sessionId=4d54320823bfd009aecdf61016c1de0b2705519c&siteScreenName=UN_News_Centre&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px “At a time when some powerful global actors are openly defying and even […]

Hantavirus-hit ship evacuation completed as quarantines begin

© WHO/Hedinn Halldorsson WHO Director-General Tedros and a health expert during operations involving the MV Hondius off Tenerife amid the hantavirus response.This article is published in association with United Nations. The passengers and crew have disembarked from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife and many have returned to their home countries, as the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said the operation demonstrated a “triumph of solidarity”. The repatriation effort, coordinated by Spanish authorities with support […]

Middle East: Deadly weekend in Lebanon, continued violence in Gaza

Iran warThis article is published in association with United Nations. The humanitarian situation in Lebanon continues to deteriorate despite the ceasefire announced last month with Israel, the United Nations said on Monday. More than 100 strikes were reported in the past 24 hours alone, while 87 people were killed over the weekend, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq […]

EU, Ukraine, Canada and partners join efforts to return forcibly transferred and unlawfully deported Ukrainian children

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, representatives of the European Union together with Ukraine and Canada hosted a ‘High-level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children‘. This initiative was announced by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, in her 2025 State of the Union […]

Strait of Hormuz de-escalation is urgent, says UN chief

© NASA The Strait of Hormuz which separates the United Arab Emirates and Iran is a strategically important shipping routeThis article is published in association with United Nations. As the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens and tensions between Iran and the United States remain unresolved, oil prices rose again early Monday, prompting the UN Secretary-General to call for a peaceful resolution and warn of the widening fallout across Africa and beyond. “My strong appeal is […]

Malaria vaccine is saving children’s lives: WHO

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. New evidence shows that malaria vaccination is significantly reducing child deaths in Africa and could have an even greater impact as programmes expand, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. The findings, published in The Lancet, a widely respected medical journal, are based on a large‑scale […]

Somalia teeters on the brink of catastrophe as hunger crisis deepens

© UNICEF/Said Fadhaye A family poses next to a chicken house provided by UNICEF, in Barwaaqo Camp, Baidoa, Somalia.This article is published in association with United Nations. “This is not a distant warning. This is a crisis that is unfolding right now and it’s deepening quickly.” That’s the verdict delivered on Friday by World Food Programme (WFP) Assistant Executive Director Matthew Hollingworth upon his return from Somalia, where millions are once again being pushed […]

Central African Republic: Funding cuts put humanitarian support at risk

This article is published in association with United Nations. The Central African Republic (CAR) is making progress towards stability and security but major aid budget cuts threaten humanitarian operations there, a senior official with the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on Friday in New York.  Edem Wosornu, Director of OCHA’s Crisis Response Division, was speaking to journalists […]

World News in Brief: Haiti crisis continues, Gaza-West Bank update, Sir David Attenborough at 100

© FAO/Nour Azzalini People in Haiti sort through grans supplied by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).This article is published in association with United Nations. Haiti continues to face escalating violence and deepening insecurity, with gangs expanding their reach beyond Port-au-Prince and civilians increasingly caught between armed groups and security operations. A new report released by the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) on Friday says at least 1,642 people were killed […]

Lebanon war leaves families foraging for food despite ceasefire

© UNICEF/Fouad Choufany Children play in the courtyard between tents at a community shelter in Beirut, Lebanon.This article is published in association with United Nations. The fragile ceasefire in Lebanon hasn’t prevented “ongoing killing and displacement”, with villages in the south of the country rendered completely unrecognizable after Israeli strikes, aid teams reported on Friday. According to the Lebanese authorities, more than 2,700 people have been killed since 2 March amid clashes […]
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