First Person: ‘Tomorrow is too late’ to scale up humanitarian aid in Haiti

First Person: ‘Tomorrow is too late’ to scale up humanitarian aid in Haiti

Women and girls face the brunt of this crisis. Gender-based violence (GBV) such as gang rape is rampant, particularly in the capital Port-au-Prince, and is exacerbated by precarious conditions in displacement camps. Yet, recent funding cuts have shut down centres for sexual and reproductive health and GBV services. Displacement and insecurity make the services that […]

South Sudanese ‘are counting on us’, top UN official tells Security Council

South Sudanese ‘are counting on us’, top UN official tells Security Council

Referencing the recent quarterly report from the Secretary-General on challenges facing the world’s youngest nation, Ms. Pobee underscored that since March, previous gains in the peace process have been largely eroded. Military offensives, primarily involving South Sudan’s rival militia which answers to the First Vice President and Government troops loyal to the President, have continued, and […]

Rubella eliminated as a public health problem in Nepal: WHO

Rubella eliminated as a public health problem in Nepal: WHO

Rubella – which is commonly known as German measles – is a highly contagious viral infection, and particularly serious for pregnant women as it can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or a range of debilitating birth defects. Safe and cost-effective vaccines have made it highly preventable. “Nepal’s success reflects the unwavering commitment of its leadership, persistent […]

First Person: On Ukraine’s frontlines, humanitarians risk all to bring hope

First Person: On Ukraine’s frontlines, humanitarians risk all to bring hope

“Sometimes it feels like we’re swimming against a current that never slows down,” says Ms. Tiutiunnyk, a protection specialist working in Ukraine for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Viktoria herself is a displaced person from Luhansk, forced to flee following the onset of hostilities. “I was not a part of the humanitarian community”, she recalls, […]

World News in Brief: Gaza aid crisis latest, deadly floods in India and Pakistan, funding cuts exacerbate Somalia drought

World News in Brief: Gaza aid crisis latest, deadly floods in India and Pakistan, funding cuts exacerbate Somalia drought

In an alert from the World Food Programme (WFP), the agency said that half a million people “are on the brink of famine”, a claim backed up by multiple humanitarian agencies. The latest worrying data is showing widespread acute malnutrition. A ceasefire is the only way to scale up aid deliveries, the UN agency insisted. It explained […]

More young lives lost and devastated in Russia attacks on Ukraine: UNICEF

More young lives lost and devastated in Russia attacks on Ukraine: UNICEF

The development came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a group of European leaders arrived in Washington to meet President Donald Trump, who held talks on a possible peace deal to end the war with President Vladimir Putin of Russia last Friday. “More young lives lost and devastated in brutal attacks in Ukraine,” UNICEF said […]

First Person: From aid worker to refugee and back in war-torn Sudan

First Person: From aid worker to refugee and back in war-torn Sudan

Sudan is one of the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian crises, with more than 30.4 million people – over half the population – urgently needing humanitarian assistance, yet the 2025 Sudan humanitarian needs and response plan is severely underfunded, with only 13.3 per cent of the required resources received so far. Forced to flee […]

From dough to dough: Bahraini chefs rise with sweet, spicy success

From dough to dough: Bahraini chefs rise with sweet, spicy success

What started as a simple joy of making cookies for family and friends soon blossomed into Brown Sugar, a brand that embodies both her love for desserts and her journey towards independence. “I used to love eating sweets,” Eman Fareed, a mother and retired civil servant, told UN News while baking in her kitchen. “At […]

A two-way street: Reversing brain drain in Somalia

A two-way street: Reversing brain drain in Somalia

So the crisis continues. And the brain drain intensifies.   But what if there was a way to reverse brain drain? This is the question that the International Organization of Migration (IOM) has been asking about Somalia. “There has been a lot of brain drain in Somalia. How do we bring back those skills that […]

UN warns Gaza crisis could worsen without safe, unrestricted aid flow

UN warns Gaza crisis could worsen without safe, unrestricted aid flow

In his regular daily briefing, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted that ongoing delays, bottlenecks at holding points and interference in the loading process at crossing platforms are undermining efforts to collect and distribute supplies to those in need. “It is imperative that the UN and its humanitarian partners are enabled to deliver aid at scale, […]

World News in Brief: Cholera strikes Sudan and beyond, humanitarian needs grown for returning Afghans, rising insecurity in DR Congo

World News in Brief: Cholera strikes Sudan and beyond, humanitarian needs grown for returning Afghans, rising insecurity in DR Congo

So far this year, cholera has killed more than 4,300 people across 31 countries. These figures are underestimates and there is particular concern for those impacted by war in Sudan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Yemen.   In Sudan, the disease has already claimed over 1,000 lives since 1 January. It […]

Trapped in Gaza: Palestinians with disabilities cannot reach aid

Trapped in Gaza: Palestinians with disabilities cannot reach aid

But for an increasing number of Palestinians, including those who cannot hear the orders or whose mobility is impaired, following these orders may be impossible. Yet, failure to do so, could cost them their lives.   “In a normal situation, people with disabilities suffer the most. And in wartime, of course, the situation is heightened […]

UN highlights need for peaceful resolution, as Trump and Putin prepare to meet on Ukraine

UN highlights need for peaceful resolution, as Trump and Putin prepare to meet on Ukraine

The UN is stressing that any peace effort or deal must be consistent with the principles of the UN Charter, including respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric welcomed “dialogue at the highest level” between the two permanent members of the Security Council. The meeting is […]

World News in Brief: Shipwreck off Italy kills at least 27, anniversary of Taliban takeover, Peru amnesty law

World News in Brief: Shipwreck off Italy kills at least 27, anniversary of Taliban takeover, Peru amnesty law

UNHCR is supporting at least 60 survivors who have been brought ashore, but the Italian coast guard warned more bodies could still be recovered.   According to local news reports, the passengers were travelling from Libya in the hopes of reaching Italy. Migrants and refugees heading to Italy from the African coast often use leaky […]

Plastic pollution talks adjourn, but countries want to stay engaged: UNEP chief

Plastic pollution talks adjourn, but countries want to stay engaged: UNEP chief

“This has been a hard-fought 10 days against the backdrop of geopolitical complexities, economic challenges and multilateral strains,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). “However, one thing remains clear: despite these complexities, all countries clearly want to remain at the table.”    Speaking to media at the end of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee […]

Peacekeepers find weapons trove in southern Lebanon, as drought threatens millions

Peacekeepers find weapons trove in southern Lebanon, as drought threatens millions

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) discovered rocket launchers, rocket shells, mortar rounds, bomb fuses and a tunnel containing munitions in separate incidents in Sectors East and West, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York. All finds were referred to the Lebanese Armed Forces […]

Hunger and a heatwave plague the Gaza Strip

Hunger and a heatwave plague the Gaza Strip

Recently, Israel has denied fewer humanitarian movements but approved missions “still take hours to complete and teams have been compelled to wait on roads that are often dangerous, congested or impassable,” the UN aid coordination office OCHA said in its latest update. Between 6 and 12 August, humanitarians made 81 attempts to coordinate planned movements […]

Syria: Violence in Alawite areas may be war crimes, say rights investigators

Syria: Violence in Alawite areas may be war crimes, say rights investigators

Many of the victims were Alawite, a minority community in Syria, which the former ruling Assad family belonged to.   Some community members are believed to have been killed in March by forces or individuals loyal to the country’s new leadership, the National Transitional Authority, which is headed by interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. In response […]

World News in Brief: Casualties in Ukraine, Burkina Faso aid helicopter blast, Uganda urged to release opposition leaders

World News in Brief: Casualties in Ukraine, Burkina Faso aid helicopter blast, Uganda urged to release opposition leaders

The monthly total also marked a three-year high, topping June’s figure, with HRMMU verifying civilian deaths and injuries in 18 of Ukraine’s 24 regions.   “For the second month in a row, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine hits a new three-year high,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU. “Only the first three months […]