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Sudan: Security Council members call for immediate halt to military escalation in El Fasher

UN Security Council members on Saturday called on the warring parties in Sudan to immediately halt the military build-up and take steps to de-escalate the situation in El Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur…

Gaza’s unexploded ordnance could take 14 years to clear

Making Gaza safe again from unexploded bombs could take 14 years, UN demining experts said on Friday. Pehr Lodhammar, a senior officer from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), said that…

Signing the war in Gaza: Overcoming deafness and displacement

Bassem Al-Habal carried a large bag of flour provided by the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, inside one of the shelters in the city of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, part of his daily journey to find food and water for his family while overcoming displacement, bombardment and the…

Ukraine war: UNICEF highlights 40 per cent rise in children killed this year

As deadly attacks in Ukraine continue, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday that the number of children killed so far this year has increased by nearly 40 per cent compared to 2023. …

World News in Brief: Support for Haiti mission, challenge of ‘commodity dependence’, Iran's 'strict' hijab law

Following the installation of a transitional council in Haiti, seven countries officially notified the UN Secretary-General on Friday of their intention to contribute personnel to the Security Council-backed support mission for the crisis-wracked Caribbean nation.…

‘Just in case’ antibiotics widely overused during COVID-19, says UN health agency

Antibiotics saw “extensive overuse” globally among hospitalised COVID-19 patients during the pandemic without improving clinical outcomes, while also potentially increasing the already serious and growing threat of antimicrobial resistance from "superbugs", the UN World Health Organization (WHO)…

Climate action ‘cannot trample over the poor’, says Guterres, launching new initiative to protect key minerals for clean energy transition

The UN Secretary-General on Friday launched an initiative focusing on ensuring fairness, sustainability and respect for human rights throughout the entire process of sourcing and using critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition…

UN updates on probe into allegations of staff collusion during 7 October attacks

A UN office investigating Israeli accusations that 12 staff members from UN Palestine relief agency UNRWA were involved in the 7 October Hamas-led attacks has closed one of the cases because Israel had not provided any supporting evidence, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Friday.…

Sudan: Civilians trapped in El Fasher as UN warns of imminent attack

Escalating violence in Sudan’s North Darfur state has left dozens dead and people trapped in El Fasher city, which is home to around 800,000 people, many displaced due to fighting. In a note to…

Burkina Faso: UN rights office deeply alarmed at reported killing of 220 villagers

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday raised alarm over the situation in northern Burkina Faso, where several hundred civilians, including children, were reportedly killed amidst fighting between security forces and armed groups…