World News in Brief: AI diagnostics, humanitarian deal for DR Congo, rights abuse allegations in Belarus, Ukraine children bear heaviest burden

MONUSCO/Didier Vignon Dossou-Gbakon MONUSCO peacekeepers protect civilians in Ituri, eastern DRC.This article is published in association with United Nations. New data shows that nearly three in four countries in Europe now use Artificial Intelligence in their health services to make a diagnosis. According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO) joint report with the European Union, 74% of countries in the bloc use AI tools in medical […]

Sudan: Three quarters of women feel unsafe as war rages on

© UNFPA A displaced family visit a health clinic in Tawila, North Darfur.This article is published in association with United Nations. Across war-torn Sudan, women and girls “are telling a consistent story of continued experience of danger, and risks for gender-based violence” whether when fleeing to safety or arriving at displacement camps, a senior official with the UN reproductive and sexual health agency UNFPA said on Friday. Fabrizia […]

Gender, geography and powerbroking in play in race for next UN chief

UN Photo/Loey Felipe The UN Secretary-General regularly addresses the Security Council. (pictured)This article is published in association with United Nations. The choice of the tenth UN Secretary-General, who will take office in January 2027, could shape global diplomacy, the response to crises across the world and the direction of the multilateral system for the next decade. Why it matters The major questions going into the process which is […]

Why lower fertility does not have to mean economic decline

© UNICEF/Bashir Ahmed Sujan A baby is held by its mother and entertained by its grandfather at a community clinic in northern Bangladesh.Why lower fertility does not have to mean economic decline

World News in Brief: Myanmar amnesty, rising needs in Afghanistan, another power loss at Ukraine nuclear plant

Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war as attacks on energy, healthcare continue – UN humanitariansThis article is published in association with United Nations. Authorities in Myanmar released the country’s ousted president from prison on Friday, along with some 4,000 other people, as part of an amnesty to mark the traditional New Year festival. President Win Myint had been in jail since February 2021 when the military overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected […]

New food alert platform helps humanitarians combat hunger

New food alert platform helps humanitarians combat hungerThis article is published in association with United Nations. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) released its next-generation platform on Thursday known as HungerMap Live, a digital monitoring and intelligence site that integrates food security data with predictive modelling to help fight hunger in more than 50 countries. Bringing together data from more than 300 analysts and […]

Deadly Russian strikes on Ukrainians ‘simply trying to live their lives’ must stop, says senior UN official

© UNOCHA A humanitarian aid worker talks to a woman in front of a damaged apartment building in Kryvyi Rih, in south-central Ukraine.This article is published in association with United Nations. The latest wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians in Dnipro, Kyiv and Odesa, which killed and injured scores of civilians, was roundly condemned by Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country. Standing in front of a bombed-out residential building in the city of Dnipro […]

The Epstein files: Rights experts demand accountability, call for probe into trafficking allegations

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, one of the UN independent human rights experts calling for more accountability for the alleged trafficking victims in the Epstein files.This article is published in association with United Nations. UN independent human rights experts called on Thursday for justice and accountability for young women and girls who were trafficked systematically as part of allegations contained in the so-called Epstein files. The Human Rights Council-appointed experts also issued a general warning over the “continuing violence of patriarchal power systems” revealed […]

Strength in numbers: Developing countries band together as Iran war batters global economy

Photo: WFP South Sudan High food prices and hyperinflation are contributing to a spike in hunger in South Sudan.This article is published in association with United Nations. Developing countries are banking on having a stronger voice in debt negotiations, following the launch of a new country-led borrowing initiative on Wednesday on the margins of the annual IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings. The economic shockwaves of the Middle East conflict are reaching far beyond the region, […]

‘Sudan is an atrocities laboratory’, UN aid chief tells Berlin conference

© UNOCHA/Giles Clarke Women who fled fighting in Darfur's El Fasher town are treated at a health centre in Tawila.This article is published in association with United Nations. Foreign ministers from across the world met in Berlin on Wednesday to show support for Sudan, where a fourth year of brutal warfare has begun as humanitarian needs deepen.  Countries reportedly pledged over $1 billion at the third International Conference for Sudan co-hosted by Germany, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), France, and the United […]

EU and Member States pledge over €811 million in response to crisis in Sudan

EU and Member States pledge over €811 million in response to crisis in SudanThis article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, as Sudanese citizens continue to suffer the world’s most severe humanitarian emergency, the European Union, together with Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the African Union, co-hosted the Third International Sudan Conference in Berlin.  As the Sudan war enters its fourth year, the […]

Middle East conflict chokes end of supply chain as lights go out in the Pacific

© World Bank A ship offloads its cargo at the port in Nuku'alofa, Tonga.This article is published in association with United Nations. For Pacific Island countries, the Middle East crisis is not a distant geopolitical event. It is already showing up in higher fuel prices, electricity uncertainty and fears that communities sitting at the far end of global supply chains could be pushed into deeper economic insecurity. “We are […]

World failing Sudan as war enters a fourth year, UN relief chief warns

© UNOCHA/Giles Clarke A woman who fled fighting in El Fasher, holds her daughter who was recently treated for malnutrition.This article is published in association with United Nations. Sudan remains the world’ s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, UN agencies and partners said on Tuesday, calling for an end to the war between rival militaries on the eve of the three-year mark.  “This grim and chastening anniversary marks another year when the world has failed […]

‘Now is the moment to invest’: Syria needs global backing, says UN expert

© UNFPA/David Brunetti A displaced Syrian woman.This article is published in association with United Nations. Syria has made “remarkable progress” on transitional justice within the past year, raising hopes for accountability and recovery after more than a decade of civil conflict. While the determination of Syrians to rebuild their country following the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024 has been widely […]

‘Time for diplomacy over escalation’ in Middle East war: Guterres

© UNICEF/Fouad Choufany The Basta neighbourhood in Beirut, Lebanon, lies in ruins.This article is published in association with United Nations. As the war in the Middle East continues, the United Nations Secretary-General issued a passionate call for “serious negotiations” between the US and Iran to resume, warning that respect for international law “is being trampled” underfoot.  Addressing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York outside the Security […]

Tech gaps and budget cuts threaten global efforts to track and help the vulnerable

sudanThis article is published in association with United Nations. Digital tools are changing the way countries manage everything from tracking refugees to caring for the elderly.  But as nations gather at the UN this week to discuss the future of our population growth, two major hurdles are taking centre stage: a lack of funding and a […]

European Union support for the UN ‘more vital than ever’, Security Council hears

This article is published in association with United Nations.A senior United Nations official on Monday hailed the European Union (EU) as “a major economic and diplomatic actor and a strong advocate of multilateralism.”   UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Khaled Khiari was speaking during the Security Council’s annual debate on cooperation between the two organizations in the areas of peace and security.  “In an increasingly complex and uncertain international environment, sustained […]

US-Iran war: Guterres calls for continued talks, end to ceasefire violations

© IMO A seafarer works on a ship.This article is published in association with United Nations. he United States and Iran must continue talks aimed at ending their weeks-long war, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday, underscoring that there is no military solution to the conflict.  Marathon discussions hosted by Pakistan ended in stalemate this weekend in the country’s capital, Islamabad.   While no agreement was reached, “the discussions themselves underscored the […]

Sudan: 14 million displaced; hunger and attacks on health continue as war enters fourth year

Sudan: 14 million displaced; hunger and attacks on health continue as war enters fourth yearThis article is published in association with United Nations. As Sudan approaches the third anniversary of a brutal civil war, millions remain displaced and hungry while the health system lies in ruins, with no end to the violence in sight, UN agencies said on Friday. Speaking from Khartoum, the representative of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, in […]

Haiti’s freefall demands urgent global action as millions face hunger and violence

© UNOCHA/Wilbert Georges Edem Wosornu (left), Director of OCHA's Crisis Response Division, on her visit to Haiti in March 2026.This article is published in association with United Nations. Haiti is facing “one of the most severe and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crises in the Western Hemisphere,” a senior UN aid official warned on Friday, underscoring the need for continued global attention to alleviate suffering there.  Edem Wosurnu of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, briefed journalists on her recent mission to the Caribbean island nation where violent armed gangs remain in […]

Lebanon airstrike casualties ‘still under the rubble’ as ambulances, hospitals face new threats

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. With Lebanon still reeling from Israel’s devastating airstrikes on 8 April, UN humanitarians reported new fears of attacks on ambulances and looming food shortages in the south of the country on Friday. Speaking from Beirut, where he witnessed Wednesday’s attacks first-hand, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s representative […]

Lebanon: Health system overwhelmed following a ‘horrific’ day of Israeli strikes

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. The scale and speed of destruction from the wave of airstrikes in Lebanon which began just hours after the US-Iran ceasefire announcement, has left the country’s already strained health system struggling to cope, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Representative in Lebanon Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar […]

Hundreds feared dead in Lebanon strikesd in Lebanon strikes

© WFP/Marco Frattini People who have fled their homes in the conflict are living in tents in Beirut city centre.This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The United Nations has strongly condemned airstrikes by the Israeli military across Lebanon on Wednesday which have resulted in significant casualties and destruction.   The attacks came within hours of the ceasefire announced between the United States and Iran following weeks of deadly hostilities that have disrupted lives, global trade and […]

Iran ceasefire raises hopes for reopening key Strait of Hormuz

© NASA/Jeff Schmaltz A satellite image shows the Strait of Hormuz. (far right)This article is published in association with United Nations. The announcement of a shaky two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, will it is hoped, lead to the opening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which one fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes. The strait has become a global […]

World News in Brief: Death on the Mediterranean, displacement in Afghanistan, ‘One Health’ summit

This article is published in association with United Nations. Over 180 people are feared dead or missing in the latest shipwrecks on the Mediterranean, according to the UN migration agency, IOM. It brings the total number of migrants and refugees killed this year attempting the crossing into Europe to almost 1,000.  Reacting to these latest figures, on […]

‘Entire families brutally erased’: Remembering the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

United Nations A memorial display of photographs of victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in RwandaThis article is published in association with United Nations. Thirty-two years ago, a genocidal campaign was unleashed against Rwanda’s Tutsi minority, resulting in more than one million deaths. On Tuesday, the UN is holding commemorations to ensure that the genocide is never forgotten and never repeated. Serge Gasore’s childhood is the stuff of nightmares. He was […]

Statement by Executive Vice-President Mînzatu, Commissioners Lahbib and Kos ahead of International Roma Day

This article is brought to you in association with the European Economic and Social Committee.This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Romani heritage, language and art are integral parts of our continent’s history and cultural richness. Ahead of International Roma Day, we celebrate the long-standing presence of Roma people in Europe and their key contribution to our societies. With an estimated 10 to 12 million […]

UN80 Initiative enters ‘delivery phase’, as Member States review progress on key work areas

This article is published in association with United Nations.Top officials updated Member States Monday on selected proposals under the UN80 reform initiative, including an initial assessment of a possible merger between gender equality agency, UN Women, and the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, as well as updates on the technology and data tracks. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy, said the broader reform effort […]

Cuba energy crisis: Humanitarian needs remain despite fuel supplies

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN has issued an urgent call for international support as Cuba grapples with a ‘worsening’ humanitarian crisis fuelled by a prolonged energy blockade and the lingering devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa last year. Fuel shortages in the nation have deepened after Washington took measures at the end […]

World News in Brief: ‘Skyrocketing’ needs outpace Sudan funding, Ukraine strikes update, global water security

© IOM Families returning to Khartoum face the mounting task of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods amid damaged homes and limited access to basic services (file).This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN is significantly scaling up its presence in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to expand life-saving operations as the conflict between rival militaries approaches its third year. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown has returned to the city with a core team, marking a renewed commitment […]

MIDDLE EAST LIVE 6 April: Strikes persist across region as humanitarian needs rise

© UNHCR Smoke and debris from a building in the Bashura neighbourhood of Beirut, Lebanon, after an airstrike.This article is published in association with United Nations. Strikes and counter-strikes continue across the Middle East, with dozens of casualties reported over the weekend in Lebanon following Israeli strikes targeting the south and the capital, Beirut. Meanwhile, humanitarian needs are rising, critical infrastructure remains under strain, and the wider economic and global impacts of the […]

‘We watched them die before our eyes’: Sudan health workers helpless amid medical shortages

© UNFPA/Sufian Abdulmouty El-Obeid Maternity Hospital in North Kordofan State has come under increasing pressure as tens of thousands of people, many in dire need of healthcare, flee the violence engulfing neighbouring South Kordofan State.This article is published in association with United Nations. As violence forces tens of thousands to flee Sudan’s South Kordofan state, doctors in a key maternity hospital are facing impossible choices – with too few supplies, too many patients, and lives slipping away. “We had to watch two of the babies die before our eyes,” said […]

UN nuclear agency chief ‘deeply concerned’ by reports of latest attack on Iran power plant

This article is published in association with United Nations.This article is published in association with United Nations. Reports of yet another projectile strike near the Bushehr nuclear power plant prompted Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to register his deep concern on Saturday. The IAEA was informed of the strike – the fourth such incident in recent weeks – by […]
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