According to local health authorities in Gaza, 830 people were killed between 18-23 March, including 174 women and 322 children. A further 1,787 were injured. “The acts of war that we see bear the hallmarks of atrocity crimes,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. “Hundreds of children and other civilians have […]
Mr. Guterres was speaking during the opening of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government Meeting in the capital Bridgetown, where he called for unity to achieve progress in peace and security, climate and sustainable development. “A unified Caribbean is an unstoppable force,” he said. “I urge you to keep using that power to push […]
In recent months, disease surveillance has identified increases in cases and fatalities on three occasions across different areas of the country, which triggered follow-up investigations to confirm the cause and provide needed support, WHO said in a statement. Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, sweating, stiff neck, muscle aches, multiple joint pain and body aches, a runny […]
The clearly identified humanitarian workers from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, Palestinian Civil Defence and the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, had been despatched to collect injured people on 23 March in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, when they came under fire from Israeli forces who were advancing in the area, said the UN […]
Over 150 countries will be meeting from 25 to 27 February to advance biodiversity finance, accountability and the integration of agrifood systems into global conservation strategies. Despite groundbreaking agreements on genetic data and recognising the stewardship role of Indigenous Peoples at the first round of the COP16 conference in Colombia late last year, this new […]
In its 2024 Annual Report, released on Tuesday, the INCB explains that unlike plant-based drugs, these substances can be made anywhere, without the need for large-scale cultivation, making them easier and cheaper for traffickers to produce and distribute. The rise of powerful opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes – potent enough to cause overdoses in tiny […]
Tuesday morning’s strike reportedly targeted a Hezbollah official who Israel accused of aiding Hamas in planning an imminent terror attack against civilians. It was the second Israeli strike in the southern suburb in five days. “The UN reiterates the calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from further escalatory activities, which endanger […]
New food security assessments indicate that 4.4 million people – nearly a quarter of the population – could face “crisis” levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or higher) between April and June 2025, marking a sharp increase from 3.4 million people currently experiencing acute hunger. “Worsening drought, erratic rainfall and ongoing conflict are eroding […]
The health agency highlighted that essential prevention, testing and treatment services are collapsing, leaving millions at risk. The hardest-hit regions include Africa, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, where national TB programmes depend heavily on international support. “Any disruption to TB services – whether financial, political or operational – can have devastating and often fatal […]
“This is a huge blow to us…These people were shot,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. UN human rights chief Volker Türk issued a statement on Monday condemning the Israeli military’s attack, calling for an independent, prompt and thorough investigation into the apparently systematic killings. “Normally we are not at […]
Delegates met in Rome this week for the resumption of the UN Biodiversity Conference to hammer out an agreement at COP16.2 after attempts to reach a deal on financing at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, fell short last November. It is hoped that the hard-won decisions made by parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity will […]
In a stark assessment of the current situation of the health crisis, Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif warned that more than nine million people do not receive treatment, while 4,000 girls and young women contract the virus every week. A staggering three-quarters of them live in sub-Saharan Africa, she noted, reminding Member […]
He condemned the reported killing of more than a thousand people, including women and children, since the collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on 18 March. In his daily press briefing, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that large-scale Israeli shelling and ground operations have resulted in widespread destruction and the displacement of more […]
In the run-up to the UN Ocean Conference 2025 in June, the UN trade and development agency, UNCTAD, emphasised that oceans are essential to all life, by sustaining biodiversity, regulating the climate and generating oxygen. Oceans also have massive untapped economic potential that is capable of delivering food security, creating jobs and driving global trade. “The amount of […]
The initiative aims to curb the spread of preventable diseases such as polio, measles and yellow fever which remain a persistent threat in hard-to-reach areas. Speedy response WHO delivered 79 outboard motors, two speedboats, 14 motorcycles and other essential equipment worth $750,000 to the country’s Ministry of Public Health to expand vaccination campaigns in 89 […]
Ambassadors met for an emergency session to discuss the escalation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Rights chief Volker Türk said he was pained to brief the Council once again on the “catastrophic suffering of people in Gaza,” noting that “the temporary relief of the ceasefire, which gave Palestinians a moment to breathe, has been shattered.” […]
La Niña, a natural climate phenomenon, results in cooler Pacific Ocean temperatures and influences weather conditions worldwide. The latest forecasts from WMO indicate sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are expected to return to normal. The agency says that there is a 60 per cent chance conditions will shift back to what scientists […]
“Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,” warned Dr. Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for the European region. A total of 127,350 cases were reported in the region in 2024, double the number of cases reported for 2023 and the highest number since 1997, according to analysis by WHO and the […]
Last Sunday, a joint PRCS and UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) mission uncovered a shallow grave in Rafah. The bodies of eight PRCS paramedics, six civil defence workers, and one UN staff member were found. They had been killed by the Israeli military while attempting to reach victims of shelling on 23 March. “They were humanitarians. They […]
During a discussion on early childhood development, the High Commissioner for Human Rights underscored that 80 per cent of the human brain is formed in the first three years of life, as he appealed for a reset in youth-centred policy. “Investments in early childhood are one of the smartest ways to achieve sustainable economic development; […]