News
FROM THE FIELD: Human ‘damage’ on the front-line of the climate crisis
The damage to people and livelihoods caused by climate change is happening at a scale that “people on the front lines cannot manage”, according to the UN’s humanitarian office, OCHA.
Haiti: flash floods and mudslides latest threats in earthquake-hit country
As Haiti struggles to recover from the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit over the weekend, killing some 1,300 people, the UN is warning that many people are likely to be affected by Tropical Depression Grace, a storm which is expected
Palestine refugees face ‘dire’ humanitarian conditions amid ongoing clashes in southern Syria: UNRWA
Some 30,000 Palestine refugees registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in south Syria have become increasingly vulnerable, following recent clashes in and around the Dera’a Governo
FROM THE FIELD: The pollution challenge facing the ‘Dragon’s Jewels’ of Viet Nam
A community-led project to manage some 28,000 tonnes of plastic waste and prevent 5,000 tonnes from ending up in the ocean is being supported by the UN in one of the most popular tourist attractions in Viet Nam.
Thailand flexes financial muscle to grapple with climate crisis
“Social responsibility and sustainable profit” can go hand in hand according to the chief of Thailand’s government pension fund. The UN, and some of the biggest players in the Thai economy, are working together to support efforts by the country’s
7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti; UNICEF set to reach children, families with humanitarian aid
The United Nations is working to support rescue and relief efforts in Haiti following a powerful earthquake that reportedly left hundreds dead, with perhaps even more injured and missing, and caused massive damage in the south-western part of the
Afghanistan: UN chief urges Taliban to halt offensive immediately, negotiate ‘in good faith’
The UN Secretary-General on Friday called on Taliban militants to “immediately halt” their offensive against Government forces and return to the negotiating table in good faith, “in the interest of Afghanistan, and its people.”
DR Congo: ‘Widespread and systematic’ violence linked to clashes over gold
Rival armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are carrying out horrific sexual attacks against women and girls, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned on Friday.
Fast-moving Afghanistan crisis ‘has hallmarks of humanitarian catastrophe’
Afghanistan is on course to witness its highest ever number of documented civilian casualties in a single year since records began, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.
Youth need ‘seat at the table’ to lead struggle for better future: Guterres
Young people are on the “frontlines of the struggle to build a better future”, the UN chief said on Thursday, International Youth Day.
UN weather agency seeks to confirm 48.8°C ‘record’ heat spike in Sicily
UN weather experts said on Thursday that they’re “actively looking” into a possible record temperature for Continental Europe of 48.8 Celsius (119.8 Fahrenheit) near the town of Syracuse in Sicily, amid devastating wildfires in Mediterranean count
Global climate objectives fall short without nuclear power in the mix: UNECE
The urgent need to reduce emissions and slow global heating, should involve the roll-out of more nuclear power stations, regional UN energy experts argued in a new briefing on Wednesday.
Punishment of ‘innocent civilians’ through government sanctions must end: UN experts
Unilateral coercive measures by some governments are denying many people around the world the right to personal development, as well as holding back sustainable national development, four independent UN human rights experts said on Wednesday.
Access restored to Tigray camps sheltering Eritrean refugees
In Ethiopia’s wartorn Tigray region, UN aid workers said on Tuesday that they have reached two refugee camps for Eritrean nationals for the first time since being cut off by fighting last month.
UN rights chief condemns Afghanistan abuses as Taliban advance continues
Disturbing reports of Taliban violence against communities now under their control in Afghanistan have been condemned by UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet, who on Tuesday backed a return to peace negotiations in Doha.
Tigray: Intensified fighting across borders ‘disastrous’ for children
UN agencies continue to sound the alarm over the growing “humanitarian catastrophe” in northern Ethiopia, sparked by the conflict in the Tigray region, now in its ninth month.
Shocking’ escalation of grave violations against children in Afghanistan: UNICEF
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed shock on Monday at the rapid escalation of grave violations against children in Afghanistan, following the deaths of 27 children in the country in the past 72 hours, and 136 who were injured.
Global warming 'unequivocally' human driven, at unprecedented rate: IPCC
Climate change is widespread, rapid, and intensifying, and some trends are now irreversible, at least during the present time frame, according to the latest much-anticipated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released on Mond
For women in e-commerce, ‘entrepreneurship means freedom’
Entrepreneurship can mean more freedom for women according to the first Latin-American advocate of eTrade for All, an initiative developed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to expand and promote the digital economy
Escalating Lebanon-Israel aggressions provoking ‘very dangerous situation’
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said on Friday that escalating hostilities over the past two days involving Lebanese and Israeli forces have created “a very dangerous situation” in the volatile border region.
Ceasefire in Tigray more urgent than ever: UN relief chief
A ceasefire in Tigray on humanitarian grounds is needed now more than ever if a massive aid operation across frontlines is to succeed, the UN’s emergency relief chief said on Friday.
Myanmar: COVID-19 third wave has hit like a ‘tsunami’, warns WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday that it is facing a 70 per cent funding shortfall in Myanmar, where millions face growing food insecurity.
Displaced Afghans face ‘continued deterioration’ in country
The situation for people who have been displaced due to an upsurge in fighting in Afghanistan following the resurgence of the Taliban is expected to continue to deteriorate, unless more is done to assist them, according to the UN’s International O
Heavy rains and flooding push Yemenis to the brink
Heavy rains and flooding in Yemen have affected at least 28,000 people, according to initial estimates released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Wednesday.
Ethiopia: ‘Heartbreaking’ devastation in Tigray, says UN humanitarian chief
The new UN Emergency Relief Coordinator ended a six-day mission to Ethiopia with a fresh push to get badly needed food and other supplies into the embattled Tigray region.
Donor conference a ‘unique opportunity’ to renew commitment to Lebanon: UN deputy chief
A donor conference to boost support for Lebanon one year after the devastating explosion in its capital, Beirut, represents a “unique opportunity” to renew commitment to the country and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, the UN Deputy Secretary-G
Beirut’s youth rebuild the Lebanese capital, brick by brick
Young people in Beirut, which was devastated by an explosion in a warehouse at the city’s port on 4 August 2020, have been pitching in to get the Lebanese capital back on its feet with support from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
UN chief welcomes ‘historic’ IMF liquidity boost for governments in need
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to exacerbate restrictions on government spending throughout the world, the UN chief on Tuesday welcomed the decision by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to approve a $650 billion allocation of Special Drawing
Afghanistan: UN mission demands end to fighting as Taliban advance
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday called for an immediate end to fighting in urban areas, as the Taliban continues a ground assault in the south of the country.
Families still struggling one year after Beirut explosion: UNICEF
A year after the devastating explosions in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, a staggering 98 per cent of families are still in need, according to a survey published on Tuesday by the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.