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‘Be part of the plan’ to end nature loss on Biodiversity Day

The diversity of animals, plants and microorganisms on the planet is at risk due to factors such as changing land use, urbanization, overexploitation, pollution and climate change, the UN said on Wednesday, calling for action now to protect a million species from extinction.…

Long, dangerous journeys on the rise but migration drives prosperity

Migration is on track to become one of the defining features of the 21st century and more action is needed to ensure regular pathways for people to move safely, the head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday in New York.…

Accelerating extinction rate triggers domino effect of biodiversity loss

While nearly one million species are currently at risk of extinction, the United Nations University (UNU) in Bonn is drawing attention to “co-extinctions”: the chain reaction occurring when the complete disappearance of one species affects another.…

Climate crisis fuels deadly floods, worsening hunger in Afghanistan

The devastating floods that struck Afghanistan recently are likely to intensify in the coming months, exacerbating the already critical food insecurity in the affected districts, the UN emergency food relief agency warned on Tuesday…

Ukraine: Humanitarian, health needs soar as Kharkiv hostilities intensify

The UN expressed new concerns on Tuesday over a rise in displacement and humanitarian needs in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region amid “relentless” Russian air and ground attacks. “Relentless…

‘Alarming lack of compliance’ with international law ramps up danger for civilians

The plight of civilians affected by war in 2023 was “resoundingly dire”, as the world witnessed horrors not only in Gaza and southern Israel but also the intense suffering of populations in other crisis hotspots around the globe, senior UN officials said on Tuesday…

INTERVIEW: Developing countries risk missing out on net-zero benefits, but fairer future is possible

Inflation fears are subsiding, the “net-zero transition” to a clean economy could spell good news with the right policies in place and we are still dealing with a “COVID hangover”, according to the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA…

WHO reports major increase in sexually transmitted infections

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis are on the rise in most regions of the world, UN health agency WHO said in a new report on Tuesday. HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually…

Gaza: WHO chief calls for end to latest hospital siege

As bombardments by the Israeli military reportedly continued overnight across Gaza, along with ground incursions and heavy fighting, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) issued an alert on Tuesday for staff and patients at besieged Al-Awda Hospital in the north of the enclave…

Rafah exodus passes 810,000, says UNRWA

At least 810,000 people have fled Rafah in just two weeks, UN humanitarians said on Monday amid reports of ongoing Israeli military operations in the southern city and in the north of Gaza. “Every time…