Prison breaks and renewed clashes raise alarm in northeast Syria

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Secretary-General António Guterres is following the continuing violence “with great concern,” Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Tuesday in New York.

The Secretary-General called for full respect for international law and the protection of civilians while also stressing the importance of securing detention facilities.

He urged the parties to continue dialogue, move forward in good faith, and work together to secure the implementation of all agreements.

Fearing for families

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, was “concerned about reports of renewed fighting between the Syrian Army and the SDF, despite the 18 January ceasefire agreement,” Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said earlier in Geneva.

Rolando Gómez of the UN Information Service (UNIS) there described the overall situation as “worrying, in particular the damage to critical infrastructure.”

He expressed concern for families unable to leave conflict areas and those who have been newly displaced.

A fragile transition

Syria remains on a fragile path to political transition following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and nearly 14 years of civil war.

The transitional government has been taking back territory in the northeast under Kurdish control and fighting has occurred in Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor and Al Hassakeh governorates.

Speaking in New York, Syria’s UN ambassador Ibrahim Olabi told journalists that the government and the SDF had reached “a common understanding” on several issues regarding the future of Al Hassakeh governorate.

The SDF will be granted “a four-day period for internal consultations to develop a detailed plan for the practical mechanisms for integrating the area,” he said during a media stakeout at UN Headquarters.

Syrian troops will not enter Al Hassakeh and Qamishli cities and will remain on their outskirts until a plan is finalised.

ISIL detention camps

Northeast Syria is home to several prisons holding thousands of ISIL fighters. The terrorist group, also known as Daesh, once controlled large swaths of the country and neighbouring Iraq in its attempt to establish an Islamist caliphate, committing mass executions, rape, forced recruitment and other atrocities along the way.

Tens of thousands of civilians with suspected ties to the militants, mainly women and children, are housed in separate detention camps such as notorious Al-Hol camp – home to over 30,000 people.

Ceasefire and clashes

The ceasefire announced on Sunday followed weeks of deadly fighting. The truce calls for the authorities to take over SDF-controlled areas and for its forces to be integrated into the national army, among other points.

Clashes resumed a day later during which roughly 120 ISIL fighters escaped from the prison in Al-Shaddadi city, according to media reports, though most have been captured.

Ms. Shamdasani recalled that OHCHR has long stated that any integration of security forces into Syrian State institutions, particularly SDF forces, “must take place within a proper human rights-based vetting process to ensure that any individuals involved in human rights violations or abuses are not integrated.”

Humanitarian support

Meanwhile, humanitarians have been providing assistance in the four affected governorates, incluidng trauma care, water and hygiene support, and psychosocial support, the UN aid coordination office OCHA reported on Monday.

Public services have been suspended in Deir-ez-Zor city and key transport routes temporarily closed, leaving civilians cut off from education and healthcare.

Furthermore, damage to critical infrastructure in Raqqa city has curtailed access between neighbourhoods and disrupted the main water supply.

OCHA noted that people continue to flee Raqqa and Tabqa cities, as well as Thawra town, and are heading towards Al Hassakeh and Qamishli governorates.

Hundreds of families remain unable to leave Tabqa and are sheltering in public facilities.

Assessments are underway to determine people’s needs as humanitarians continue to call for sustained, safe access to the population.

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Cold and dark: UN rights chief condemns Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power grid

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Volker Türk said he was outraged by renewed overnight attacks that knocked out power and heating in major cities – including Kyiv and Odesa – as temperatures plunged well below zero and civilians bear the brunt of what he described as unlawful assaults on civilian infrastructure.

He said the Russian strikes “can only be described as cruel. They must stop. Targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is a clear breach of the rules of warfare.”

According to Ukrainian authorities, the latest long-range attacks triggered emergency power and heating outages across several regions.

In Kyiv alone, the city’s mayor reported that 5,635 multi-storey residential buildings were left without heating on Tuesday morning, nearly 80 per cent of which had only recently had heating restored after similar strikes earlier this month.

Since October last year, Russian armed forces have renewed systematic large-scale attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with strikes recorded in at least 20 regions of the country.

Mr. Türk called on Russian authorities to immediately halt the attacks, warning that continued strikes on essential civilian infrastructure risk compounding human suffering.

Humanitarian consequences

“This means that hundreds of thousands of families are now without heating and several areas, including a significant part of Kyiv, are also without water,” Mr. Türk said, warning that the impact falls most heavily on children, older people and persons with disabilities.

The humanitarian toll was underscored by Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, who said that over the past 48 hours tens of thousands of civilians once again woke to freezing homes and severe disruptions to basic services.

“Parents cannot prepare hot meals for their children, and many older people have been left isolated in cold homes yet again,” he said. “The hideous strikes on energy that have such a huge negative impact on the lives of the civilian population violate international humanitarian law and should end immediately.”

Nuclear safety risks

The attacks have also raised fresh concerns over nuclear safety. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said several electrical substations vital for nuclear safety were affected.

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant temporarily lost all off-site power, while power lines to other nuclear facilities were also impacted. “The IAEA is actively following developments in order to assess impact on nuclear safety,” Director General Rafael Grossi said.

Chernobyl was the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident in April 1986, when a reactor explosion released massive amounts of radioactive material across Ukraine, Europe and beyond.

Although the plant has long ceased power generation, it requires a stable electricity supply to maintain cooling systems, radiation monitoring and the safe management of nuclear waste, making uninterrupted power critical to preventing new safety risks.

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Sudan: Atrocities ‘repeated town by town’, ICC prosecutor tells UN Security Council

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Briefing ambassadors, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said the situation in Darfur had “darkened even further,” with civilians subjected to what she described as collective torture amid a widening war between Sudan’s rival military forces.

“The picture that is emerging is appalling: organised, widespread, mass criminality including mass executions,” Ms. Khan said. “Atrocities are used as a tool to assert control.”

Epicentre of ‘profound suffering’

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between former allies the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF).

What began as a power struggle metastasised into conflicts across the country, most devastating in the Darfur region, which also saw longstanding ethnic tensions – which prompted allegations of genocide in the early 2000s – being reignited.

She said the fall of North Darfur’s regional capital El Fasher to the RSF had been followed by a “calculated campaign of the most profound suffering,” particularly targeting non-Arab communities.

The crimes, she said, include rape, arbitrary detention, executions and the creation of mass graves, often filmed and celebrated by perpetrators.

Nazhat Shameem Khan (on screen), Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), briefs the Security Council.

Fighters ‘celebrating executions’

Based on video, audio and satellite evidence collected, the ICC Prosecutor has concluded that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in El Fasher, particularly in late October, following a prolonged RSF siege of the city.

Ms. Khan said video footage showed patterns similar to those documented in earlier atrocities in Darfur, including the detention, mistreatment and killing of civilians from non-Arab tribes.

“Members of the RSF are seen celebrating direct executions and subsequently desecrating corpses,” she said.

El Geneina investigations

The Office of the Prosecutor is also advancing investigations into crimes committed in El Geneina, where witnesses have provided accounts of attacks on displacement camps, looting, gender-based violence and crimes against children.

In 2023, El Geneina witnessed some of the worst violence of the war as RSF fighters and allied militias carried out massacres against the Massalit community, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee into neighbouring Chad.

UN officials and human rights investigators described the violence as ethnically motivated and warned of possible crimes against humanity.

Evidence now indicates that the patterns of atrocities seen in El Geneina have since been replicated in El Fasher, Ms. Khan said.

“This criminality is being repeated in town after town in Darfur,” she warned. “It will continue until this conflict, and the sense of impunity that fuels it, are stopped.”

A school in El Geneina in West Darfur State, which had been serving as a displaced persons shelter, is burned to the ground. (file)

Rape as a weapon of war

Sexual violence, including rape, is being used as a weapon of war, Ms. Khan said, adding that gender-based crimes remain a priority for ICC investigations. She acknowledged cultural and security barriers that prevent survivors from reporting abuse, stressing the need for gender-sensitive and survivor-centred investigations.

While much of the briefing focused on RSF abuses, the Deputy Prosecutor said the ICC was also documenting allegations of crimes committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), underscoring that all parties to the conflict are bound by international law to protect civilians.

Impunity overshadows progress

Ms. Khan cited the conviction last October of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb – a former Janjaweed militia leader – as a landmark step toward accountability, but cautioned that the scale of ongoing atrocities far outweighed any sense of progress.

She closed with a pointed call on Sudanese authorities to act against senior suspects long sought by the Court, including former president Omar al-Bashir, former interior minister Ahmad Harun and former defence minister Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein.

“Action must now be taken,” she said, warning that justice for Darfur’s victims would remain hollow without arrests at the highest level.

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Human trafficking depends on corruption at every step

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A Chilean police officer stationed at the border collaborated on the scheme, enabling the crime.

Were it not for border guards, public officials and other entities who look the other way in exchange for money or sexual favours – or are themselves being extorted – human trafficking could not occur on a large scale, according to a new report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published on Monday.

It analyses more than 120 cases involving almost 80 countries – based on consultations with policymakers, prosecutors, investigators and independent experts from more than 30 countries – to expose the ‘hidden links’ between human trafficking and corruption.

Cloak of corruption

Human trafficking can include sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced begging, organ removal and even illegal adoption, among other forms of exploitation.

The report demonstrates how corruption permeates and facilitates every stage of human trafficking.

During recruitment and transport, corrupt officials provide documentation, overlook irregularities and collude with fraudulent recruitment agencies and organised criminal groups.

At border crossings, bribes and papers obtained through corruption allow persons to be moved across jurisdictions.

Asking for help can appear difficult or impossible once a person is exploited. Corruption shields operations in industries such as agriculture, construction, fisheries and domestic work, and helps keep victims of trafficking in situations of forced labour, sexual exploitation and forced criminality.

Finally, corruption obstructs anti-trafficking efforts, from police investigations and prosecutions to judicial decisions and assistance to victims.

Breaking the cycle

UNODC supports countries in breaking the cycle of corruption and human trafficking, including by ensuring national legislation applies stronger penalties when public officials are involved in trafficking and establishing safe reporting mechanisms for victims.

Other UN agencies are also supporting the effort. Backed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Moldova announced last week that it is strengthening its ability to identify and stop cross-border crimes, including human trafficking, through the new headquarters of its Passenger Information Unit (PIU).

The PIU is equipped with advanced UN software that improves passenger data collection, analysis and rapid response. Moldova is the seventh country to adopt this system, following in the footsteps of Norway, Luxembourg, Botswana, Georgia, the Philippines and Mongolia.

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Mozambique floods heighten disease, malnutrition risks – UN agencies

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The head of aid coordination office, OCHA, in the country, Paola Emerson, told reporters in Geneva that more than half a million people have been impacted by the floods, triggered by heavy rains in the first weeks of the new year.

“The numbers keep rising as extensive flooding continues and dams keep releasing water to avoid bursting,” she said.

Mozambique’s Gaza province is most affected along with Maputo and Sofala provinces.

‘Melting’ houses

Speaking from Xai-Xai, Gaza’s capital city, Ms. Emerson stressed that 90 per cent of the country’s people live in adobe houses, which are earth-based structures “that basically melt after a few days’ rains”.

Health facilities, roads and critical infrastructure are also heavily impacted. Ms. Emerson said that some 5,000 kilometres of roads have been damaged across nine provinces, including the main road linking the capital Maputo to the rest of the country, which is currently inaccessible, resulting in major supply chain disruptions.

Meanwhile, dams continue to release water even as heavy rains subside.

“From just one dam, up to 10,000 cubic metres-worth of water were being discharged. That is approximately 25 times the amount of water that could be held in the press briefing room you are in today, every second,” Ms. Emerson told journalists, seated in a room with capacity for more than 100 people.

“You cannot imagine the strength of this water and the impact it has on people and the infrastructure.”

National emergency

The Government of Mozambique has declared a national emergency and has established an emergency operations centre in Gaza province. Xai-Xai, which is near the Limpopo River, has been inundated, prompting evacuations. Ms. Emerson said that authorities have issued alerts for downtown Xai-Xai, “including warnings of crocodile risks in flooded areas”.

“River levels are rising and are reaching urban areas or heavily populated areas,” she said. “The crocodiles that are in the Limpopo River…are able to get into urban or populated areas that are now submerged underwater.”

Also speaking from Xai-Xai, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s Chief of Communication in Mozambique, Guy Taylor, warned that flooding is “turning unsafe water, disease outbreaks and malnutrition into a deadly threat for children”.

Lethal combination

The combination of waterborne diseases and malnutrition “can often prove lethal,” he said, stressing that even before the floods, four out of every 10 children in Mozambique experienced chronic malnutrition.

“This renewed disruption to food supplies, to health services and to care practices threatens to push the most vulnerable children into a dangerous spiral,” he insisted.

Mr. Taylor added that Mozambique is now entering into its annual cyclone season, creating the risk of a double crisis. “We can prevent disease, deaths and irreversible losses to children, but we need to act fast,” he said.

The UNICEF spokesperson described Mozambique as “a country of children and young people”, with an average age of 17.

“When floods and cyclones strike, as they have repeatedly and with increasing frequency over recent years, it’s the youngest and children who are hit hardest,” he concluded.

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World News in Brief: Food insecurity in Lebanon, Libya migrants freed, UNHCR tackles multiple emergencies – despite cuts

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

According to the latest UN-backed IPC Food Security Phase Classification report, around 874,000 people are facing crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity between November 2025 and March 2026.

Certain districts and areas have been more severely affected, particularly parts of Baalbek and El Hermel, Akkar, Baabda, Zahle, Saida, Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, El Nabatieh, Tyre, and refugee communities.

This is the first assessment to include people who arrived from Syria after December 2024, recognising shifting displacement patterns and new vulnerabilities.

Assistance is essential

Looking ahead, the situation is expected to worsen rapidly due to a combination of factors, including reduced food assistance, economic pressures, and rising living costs.

Between April and July 2026, food insecurity will rise to 961,000 people, nearly 18 per cent of the population, according to the IPC report.

“People’s needs remain high, and predictable assistance will be essential to help people meet basic food needs and prevent further deterioration.” said Anne Valand, WFP representative and country director in Lebanon.

Migrants freed from abusive detention sites in eastern Libya

The UN migration agency (IOM) has deployed emergency teams to eastern Libya to assist hundreds of migrants released from illegal detention sites where they were held in appalling conditions.

Libyan authorities last week closed an unlawful detention facility in Ajdabiya, leading to the release of 195 migrants and the recovery of 21 bodies from a nearby burial site.

Initial investigations indicate the victims had been held captive and subjected to torture to extort ransom payments from their families.

Buried underground

In a separate operation in Kufra, security forces uncovered an underground detention site three metres below ground.

A total of 221 migrants and refugees were freed, including women and children, among them a one-month-old baby. At least ten people were transferred to hospital for urgent treatment after being held for prolonged periods in grossly inhumane conditions.

“These shocking cases highlight the severe risks faced by migrants who fall prey to criminal networks operating along migration routes,” said Nicoletta Giordano, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Libya.

IOM teams are providing medical screenings, referring urgent cases to hospitals and distributing warm clothing to survivors.

The agency welcomed efforts by Libyan authorities to rescue victims and launch investigations, while stressing the need to strengthen protection systems, dismantle trafficking networks and ensure accountability for perpetrators.

UNHCR responds to mounting crises despite funding shortfalls

Despite severe funding shortfalls, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, responded to a surge of complex emergencies and deepening long-running crises last year, according to its newly released 2025 Impact Report: Response to New Emergencies and Protracted Crises.

Throughout 2025, agency teams provided protection and assistance in some of the world’s most volatile settings.

They supported people fleeing renewed violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo into Burundi and Uganda, assisted those escaping fresh fighting in and beyond South Sudan, and helped millions of Afghans returning or being forced back from Iran and Pakistan.

Protracted crises also worsened. Ongoing conflict in Sudan, intensified attacks on Ukraine and escalating violence in Colombia triggered repeated displacement, further eroding already fragile living conditions.

Positive response

“In 2025, displacement occurred amid protracted conflict, recurrent disasters, and new outbreaks of violence,” said Ayaki Ito, UNHCR’s Director of Emergency and Programme Support.

“In this environment, UNHCR teams continued to respond to the needs of people forced to flee, even as severe resource constraints limited our capacity.”

Emergency support included clean water for half a million people in Sudan, cash assistance for Afghan and Syrian returnees, and more than a million services for displaced people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring host countries.

UNHCR warned that humanitarian needs are set to rise further in 2026 as conflicts continue to drive displacement affecting nearly 52 million people.

You can find additional background on UNHCR’s emergency response work, here.

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UNRWA headquarters bulldozed in East Jerusalem

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Responding to the dramatic development, head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees Philippe Lazzarini described it as an “unprecedented attack” against the UN, whose premises are protected under international law.

The move represents “a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law, including of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel”, the UNRWA Commissioner-General said on X.

The same thing could happen to any other organization or diplomatic mission “anywhere around the world”, Mr. Lazzarini warned. “This must be a wake-up call,” he stressed.

Human rights chief’s ‘outrage’

Echoing those concerns, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed his “outrage” at the incident, which marks a sharp escalation of tensions between the Israeli authorities and UNRWA.

“It compounds what we’ve been seeing for a while; attacking aid groups and UN actors who are trying to help,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the High Commissioner.

On 14 January, Israeli forces entered an UNRWA health centre in East Jerusalem and ordered it to close. At the time of the incident, the agency said its workers were “terrified”. In the coming weeks, water and power supplies to UNRWA facilities are scheduled to be cut, including to buildings used for health care and education.

“This is a direct result of legislation passed by the Israeli parliament in December, which stepped up existing anti-UNRWA laws adopted in 2024,” Mr. Lazzarini said.

Previously, UNRWA premises have been targeted by arsonists amid a “large-scale disinformation campaign” against it by Israel, the agency’s Commissioner-General maintained.

This was despite a ruling last October by the UN’s top court, the International Court of Justice, which restated that Israel was obliged “to facilitate UNRWA’s operations, not hinder or prevent them. The court also stressed that Israel has no jurisdiction over East Jerusalem,” Mr. Lazzarini noted.

“What happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission, whether in the Occupied Palestinian Territory or anywhere around the world,” he continued. “International law has come under increasing attack for too long and is risking irrelevancy in the absence of response by Member States.”

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Yemen: Children are dying and it’s going to get worse, warns aid veteran

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

“The simple narrative is, children are dying and it’s going to get worse,” said Julien Harneis, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen. “My fear is that we won’t hear about it until the mortality and the morbidity significantly increases in this next year.”

The alert follows an attempt by forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to expand their presence in the resource-rich and strategically important eastern governorates of Hadramout and Al Mahra, a move reportedly reversed earlier this month by Government-aligned forces backed by Saudi Arabia.

The latest crisis comes after well over a decade of fighting between Houthi-led forces – who control the capital, Sana’a – and the internationally recognized government in Aden, backed by a Saudi-led military coalition.

Complex operating environment

“It’s an extraordinarily complicated situation,” Mr. Harneis told journalists in Geneva. “Just in the last month in Aden, we went through a situation where you have the Government of Yemen in charge, then over 48 hours, the Southern Transitional [Council] situation took over the whole of the Government of Yemen areas, including areas they’ve never been in.”

Just four weeks later, however, a delegation from the STC released a statement while in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, announcing that they had in fact “dissolved” their movement, allowing the Government in Yemen to retake the recently captured areas. “But at the same time, we’ve got demonstrations in Aden saying that, ‘No, we’re not [disbanded], we’re still there,’” Mr. Harneis explained.

Last week, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg told the Security Council that this latest political and security upheaval underscored how quickly stability could unravel without a credible, inclusive political process to bring a negotiated end to the debilitating war.

Securing a peaceful future for the people of Yemen and providing lifesaving help has also been complicated by the ongoing detention of UN staff and diplomatic workers, among others, by Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran and control Sana’a.

Mr. Harneis described the torment for the families of the 69 staff members still being held: “It’s terrible for them; some families haven’t seen their loved ones in five years. They don’t know the conditions of their detention, they don’t know where they are, they don’t know if they’re going to be sentenced to death in the coming days.”

Millions going hungry

Latest UN data shows that more than 20 million Yemenis – about half the population – will face acute food insecurity next month, while tens of thousands could face famine-like conditions.

“We are expecting things to be much worse in 2026,” Mr. Harneis said.

A young boy is carried by his mother thorough a neighbourhood in Al Hawtah, Lahj Governate in Yemen.

The country’s health system is also collapsing. More than 450 facilities have already closed and thousands more are at risk of losing funding. Vaccination programmes are also under threat and only two-thirds of Yemen’s children are fully immunised, largely owing to a lack of access in the north.

“The way that economic and political decisions are playing out…food insecurity is only getting worse across all parts of the country”, the UN aid official maintained.

“We’re going to see a major change where the health system is not going to be supported in the way it has been in the past.”

Despite access restrictions, UN partners reached 3.4 million people with food assistance last year, along with emergency support during floods and disease outbreaks.

The UN has been working in Yemen since the 1960s, helping to make development gains and protect the country’s most vulnerable people. “And then suddenly in the last couple of years this breakdown…inexplicably,” Mr. Harneis said. “That has a terrifying effect on the humanitarian workers.”

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Secretary-General on UN at 80: Humanity strongest when we stand as one

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Speaking at Methodist Central Hall, the very same venue where the first-ever UN General Assembly was held on 10 January 1946, Mr. Guterres called on delegates at the event to be “bold enough to change. Bold enough to find the courage of those who came to this Hall 80 years ago to forge a better world.”

From bomb shelter to diplomatic gathering

Organised by the United Nations Association-UK, Saturday’s anniversary event gathered over 1,000 delegates from across the world, with speakers including President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, the UN Champion for Space Professor Brian Cox and the UN Refugee Agency’s Goodwill Ambassador Maya Ghazal. The event also marks the 80th anniversary of the first UN Security Council, which took place on 17 January 1946 at nearby Church House.

During his keynote address, Mr. Guterres reflected on the symbolic location of the commemoration. The first General Assembly took place within the same walls four months after the end of the Second World War, in a heavily bombed London where tens of thousands had been killed, a powerful reminder as to why the UN had been created.

“To reach this Hall, delegates had to pass through a city scarred by war. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the House of Commons had been shelled by the Luftwaffe. And as those bombs fell, terrified civilians huddled here, in the basement of the Methodist Central Hall — one of the largest public air-raid shelters in London,” said the Secretary-General.

Throughout the Blitz, as many as 2,000 people gathered in the hall for protection, before the nations of the world assembled there in 1946 to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’.

“In many ways, this Hall is a physical representation of what the United Nations is: a place people put their faith — for peace, for security, for a better life,” reflected Mr. Guterres.

The world of 2026 is not the world of 1946

In the 80 years since the first General Assembly, the UN has expanded from 51 members to 193. Mr. Guterres emphasised that the General Assembly, the UN’s chief deliberative, policymaking and representative body, is “the parliament of the family of nations. It is a forum for every voice to be heard, a crucible for consensus, and a beacon for cooperation.”

Whilst he acknowledged that the General Assembly’s work “may not always be straightforward or seamless,” he described it as a “a mirror of our world, its divisions and its hopes. And it is the stage on which our shared story plays out.”

Reflecting on the last decade, Mr. Guterres spoke of how “the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan have been vicious and cruel beyond measure; artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous almost overnight; and the pandemic poured accelerant on the fires of nationalism — stalling progress on development and climate action.”

Mr. Guterres emphasised how 2025 was a “profoundly challenging” year for international cooperation and the UN’s values.

“Aid was slashed. Inequalities widened. Climate chaos accelerated. International law was trampled. Crackdowns on civil society intensified. Journalists were killed with impunity. And United Nations staff were repeatedly threatened — or killed — in the line of duty.”

The UN reported in 2025 that global military spending reached $2.7 trillion — over 200 times the UK’s current aid budget, or equivalent to over 70 per cent of Britain’s entire economy.

Fossil fuel profits have also continued to surge whilst the planet broke heat records, Mr. Guterres underlined.

“And in cyberspace, algorithms rewarded falsehoods, fuelled hatred, and provided authoritarians with powerful tools of control.”

Multilateralism over division

A “robust, responsive and well-resourced multilateral” system is needed to address the world’s interconnected challenges, Mr. Guterres urged, but the “values of multilateralism are being chipped away.”

The Secretary-General gave the example of a landmark international agreement to protect marine life in international waters and the seabed, which comes into force on Saturday, as a “model of modern diplomacy, led by science, with the participation not just of governments, but of civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities.”

“These quiet victories of international cooperation — the wars prevented, the famine averted, the vital treaties secured — do not always make the headlines. Yet they are real. And they matter. If we wish to secure more such victories, we must ensure the full respect of international law and defend multilateralism, strengthening it for our times.”

As he addressed the London audience, the Secretary-General expressed his “gratitude to the United Kingdom for its decisive role in creating the United Nations,” and for being “such a strong pillar of multilateralism and champion of the United Nations today.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres (right) met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in London on Friday.

High stakes for a better world

Looking towards the future, the Secretary-General called for an international system that reflects the modern world, including reforming international financial systems and the Security Council.

“As global centres of power shift, we have the potential to build a future that is either more fair — or more unstable.”

The Secretary-General reminded delegates in London that when the UN first opened its doors, “many of its staff bore the visible wounds of war — a limp, a scar, a burn.”

“There is a persistent myth — now echoing louder each day — that peace is naïve. That the only ‘real’ politics is the politics of self-interest and force,” Mr. Guterres said.

“But the founders of the United Nations were not untouched by reality. On the contrary, they had seen war, and they knew: Peace, justice and equality, are the most courageous, the most practical, the most necessary pursuits of all.”

*Miranda Alexander-Webber is a communications officer with the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC).

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UN rights chief bears witness to trauma and resilience in Sudan

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Volker Türk briefed journalists in the Kenyan capital following a five-day mission to Sudan, where “a chronicle of cruelty is unfolding before our very eyes”.

He called on “all those who have any influence, including regional actors and notably those who supply the arms and benefit economically from this war” to act urgently to bring it to an end.

Mr. Türk last visited Sudan in November 2022. Back then, he was deeply inspired by civil society—particularly the young people and women who spearheaded the 2018 revolution.

Salute to the people’s struggle for peace

While the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) “has plunged the country into an abyss of unfathomable proportions” – affecting the entire nation and all its people – “the spirit of the struggle for peace, justice and freedom…is not broken,” he affirmed.

“I bore witness in Sudan to the trauma of the unspeakable brutality that people have suffered – but also to the resilience and defiance of the human spirit.”

Mr. Türk met with various sectors of society, including young people who organise and deliver aid to their communities “often in the face of massive bureaucratic hurdles, risking detention and violence.”

As one volunteer told him, “The price of war is being paid by young people. Sudanese young people are at the frontlines of this war, serving those who are in need of humanitarian aid.”

End ‘intolerable attacks’ on infrastructure

The rights chief highlighted attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, such as the Merowe dam and hydroelectric power station which once supplied 70 per cent of electricity needs nationwide.

It has been repeatedly hit by drones launched by the RSF, including in recent weeks. Such attacks are serious violations and can amount to war crimes.

He called for both warring parties to “cease intolerable attacks against civilian objects that are indispensable to the civilian population, including markets, health facilities, schools and shelters.”

Mr. Türk also met people displaced from the besieged city of El Fasher in North Darfur who are now living in the Al Afad camp some 1,200 kilometres away. Among them was a four-year-old who lost his hearing due to bombardment and a three-year-old who wouldn’t smile.

“One woman saw her husband and only son killed,” he said. “She is still bedridden from grief, trauma, and the bullet she took in her shoulder while trying – in vain – to shield her son.”

Women’s bodies ‘weaponized’

He shared the testimony of Aisha*, 20, who was fleeing El Fasher on a donkey cart in October when armed men on camels ordered the women to come down. Her brother tried to intervene but was shot, while her mother begged the men to take her instead of the children.

“They hit her, took me and told me to keep quiet or they will kill my mother. Then what happened…happened. My period has not come since then,” she told Mr. Türk.

In Sudan, “women and girls’ bodies have been weaponized,” he said. Sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war – also a war crime – and it is widespread and systematic.

The UN rights chief also heard accounts of widespread summary executions. He underlined that all parties to the conflict “have perpetrated gross violations and abuses of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law, notably when the fighting intensifies to control new areas.”

Concern for the Kordofan region

He expressed deep concern that atrocity crimes committed inf El Fasher are at risk of being repeated in the Kordofan region, where fighting has intensified since late October. This is happening amid famine conditions in the city of Kadugli and risk of famine elsewhere, including Dilling, he said in a stark warning.

He deplored the proliferation of advanced military equipment across Sudan, particularly drones, saying “it is despicable that large sums of money are being spent on procuring increasingly advanced weaponry – funds that should be used to alleviate the suffering of the population.”

Another concern is the increasing militarization of society by all parties to the conflict, including through the arming of civilians and recruitment and use of children. Civil society and journalists are also facing restrictions or being targeted through smear campaigns.

Focus on the Sudanese people

The UN rights chief concluded his remarks by calling on the warring parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, guarantee safe passage for people to leave conflict areas, and ensure unimpeded access for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

“Measures, such as humane treatment of detainees, accounting for and establishing the fate of missing persons, and releasing civilians detained for alleged ‘collaboration’ with the opposing party are also priority areas,” he added.

Mr. Türk repeated the plea that he made when he last visited Sudan.

“I urge all those involved to set aside entrenched positions, power games, and personal interests, and to focus on the common interests of the Sudanese people,” he said.

“Again, I leave with a plea that human rights be central to building confidence and bringing this war to an end, to resuming the difficult task of building a sustainable peace.”

This is difficult, he acknowledged, “but certainly not impossible, with the resilience and power of the Sudanese people.”

*Name changed for protection purposes.

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Aid cuts push millions in West and Central Africa deeper into hunger

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) issued the warning on Friday, citing latest analysis from the food security framework Cadre Harmonisé, the regional equivalent of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) that uses a one to five scale – with five spelling catastrophe/famine – to inform response.

It projects that 13 million children are also expected to suffer from malnutrition this year while over three million people will face emergency levels of food insecurity – more than double the 1.5 million in 2020.

Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger account for 77 per cent of the food insecurity figures, including 15,000 people in Nigeria’s Borno state at risk of catastrophic hunger for the first time in nearly a decade.

Although a combination of conflict, displacement, and economic turmoil has been driving hunger in West and Central Africa, the slashes to humanitarian funding are now pushing communities beyond their ability to cope.

“The reduced funding we saw in 2025 has deepened hunger and malnutrition across the region,” said Sarah Longford, WFP Deputy Regional Director.

“As needs outpace funding, so too does the risk of young people falling into desperation.”

Rations reduced, hunger soars

WFP urgently requires more than $453 million over the next six months to continue its humanitarian assistance across the region, where the impacts of the aid budget cuts are evident.

In Mali, when families received reduced food rations, areas experienced a nearly 65 per cent surge in acute hunger (IPC 3+) since 2023, compared with a 34 per cent decrease in communities that received full rations.

Continued insecurity has disrupted critical supply lines to major cities – including for food – and 1.5 million of the country’s most vulnerable people are on track to face crisis levels of hunger.

Malnutrition levels deteriorate

In Nigeria, funding shortfalls last year forced WFP to scale down nutrition programmes, affecting more than 300,000 children. Since then, malnutrition levels in several northern states have deteriorated from “serious” to “critical.”

The UN agency will only be able to reach 72,000 people in Nigeria in February, down from the 1.3 million assisted during the 2025 lean season.

Meanwhile, more than half a million vulnerable people in Cameroon are at risk of being cut off from assistance in the coming weeks.

‘Paradigm shift’ needed

WFP underscored the importance of having adequate funding for its operations, which have helped to improve food security in the region.

For example, teams have worked with local communities in five countries to rehabilitate 300,000 hectares of farmland to support more than four million people in over 3,400 villages.

WFP programmes have also supported infrastructure development, school meals, nutrition, capacity building and seasonal aid to help families manage extreme weather and security risks, stabilise local economies and reduce dependency on aid.

“To break the cycle of hunger for future generations, we need a paradigm shift in 2026,” Ms. Longford said.

She urged governments and their partners to step up investment in preparedness, anticipatory action, and resilience-building to empower local communities.

Amid Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, Chad shows ‘act of solidarity’

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

That’s according to UN human rights chief Volker Türk, who had discussions with over 40 leaders of Sudanese civil society in Northern State’s capital, Dongola, this week.

“But these representatives have also found the solution,” Mr. Türk said in a video on X. “There needs to be an all-out effort, both within Sudan and by the international community to help them, to facilitate their work.”

The conflict in Sudan which erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the armed group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has uprooted some 9.3 million people and has brought about one of the world’s largest hunger crises.

Mr. Türk began his visit on Wednesday and is meeting with Sudanese authorities, civil society, humanitarian partners and people displaced by the conflict in Darfur and Kordofan. He will be holding two press conferences at the end of his visit on 18 January.

Chad shows ‘act of solidarity’

Since April 2023, more than 900,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in eastern Chad, with new arrivals every day, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

The newly-appointed UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih visited Chad this week for the first time in this capacity, where he met with Sudanese refugee families and local authorities.

Many of the refugees he met had been displaced multiple times since the conflict began. They described years of violent attacks and human rights abuses.

“What is unfolding in Sudan is a humanitarian calamity of overwhelming scale. Chad’s generous welcome of refugees is a powerful act of solidarity,” Mr. Salih said.

From displacement to solutions

Mr. Salih also acknowledged the host communities that have welcomed refugees despite economic hardship and environmental pressure.

He reiterated UNHCR’s readiness to work with the Government and others to facilitate economic opportunity and provide services for both refugees and the host communities.

The UN Refugees chief, Barham Salih (centre), speaks with Sudanese refugees at a women’s centre in Farchana, Chad.

“Visiting Chad and Kenya this last week, both countries clearly demonstrate how, with sustained international support, inclusive policies can move us from responding to displacement emergencies towards providing solutions,” Mr. Salih emphasised.

“When refugees are protected and included, they can rebuild their lives and contribute to the societies that host them. This is what I am seeing here, and this is the direction in which we must travel.”

Peacekeeping: Lacroix warns of rising threats to ‘blue helmets’ in Middle East

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Briefing journalists by video link from Jeddah following an extensive visit to the region, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said there has been an uptick in dangerous incidents involving peacekeepers and the fragile environment in which missions are operating.

He added that UN missions are continuing to deliver on their mandates despite increasingly challenging conditions on the ground.

“There is no pre-drawdown mandate,” Mr. Lacroix said of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), stressing that the mission will continue to operate under its current authorisation until the end of December 2026.

UNIFIL, he said, remains focused on supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and advancing implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, which brought an end to hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in 2006.

Mr. Lacroix said cooperation with Lebanese authorities and the LAF remained “excellent,” and welcomed recent statements by the Government regarding progress in establishing operational control in the south, while acknowledging that “a number of things remain to be done.”

Increasing danger

At the same time, he expressed grave concern over a growing number of hostile incidents affecting UN peacekeepers, particularly those involving the Israeli Defense Forces.

“The frequency of these incidents has been quite high – it has been increasing,” he said, warning that several encounters “could have had very tragic consequences” for peacekeepers.

He said he had raised the issue with Israeli counterparts, stressing that “it is in no one’s interest to put the lives of peacekeepers at risk,” and reminded all parties of their responsibility to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel.

Mr. Lacroix also described widespread devastation in southern Lebanon, where entire villages and civilians remain unable to return to their homes, undermining prospects for recovery and reconstruction.

Beyond security risks, Mr. Lacroix highlighted the impact of funding shortfalls on peacekeeping operations, noting that UNIFIL and other missions have had to implement savings plans due to delayed or incomplete contributions by some Member States.

He praised peacekeepers for adapting under pressure, saying they had “succeeded in mitigating the impact” of financial constraints through innovation and operational adjustments.

Syria and regional dynamics

Turning to Syria, Mr. Lacroix said the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) continues to carry out its mandate with strong backing from both the Security Council and Syrian authorities.

However, he noted that conditions on the ground have changed significantly since Israeli forces established positions inside the area of separation defined by the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Established in May 1974, following the Yom Kippur War, UNDOF is mandated to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria, and supervise the areas of separation as provided in the 1974 agreement.

“What we would want is a return to the situation where UNDOF would be the only military presence in the area of separation,” Mr. Lacroix said, describing recent talks between Israel and Syria, mediated by the United States, as “positive.”

UN Photo/Wolfgang Grebien

UNDOF peacekeepers on patrol in the Golan Heights.

Mine action and wider needs

He also underscored the growing importance of UN mine action efforts in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory overall, saying needs were “huge” and urging greater donor support.

“We are willing to do more,” Mr. Lacroix said, stressing that additional resources would be critical to protect civilians and support recovery in conflict-affected areas.

Myanmar begins defence in landmark genocide case at UN World Court

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Addressing judges in The Hague, Ko Ko Hlaing, speaking as Myanmar’s agent, said his country fully recognizes the importance of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide but firmly denies breaching its obligations under international law.

“A finding of genocide would place an indelible stain on my country and its people,” he said, describing the proceedings as “of fundamental importance for my country’s reputation and future.”

Mr. Hlaing accused the applicant of relying on what he called rudimentary and partisan, including reports by a fact-finding mission, “which are neither reliable nor objective, and were a condemnation without trial of Myanmar.”

UN Photo/ICJ-CIJ/ Frank van Beek

Ko Ko Hlaing, Agent of Myanmar, addresses judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Myanmar acted against terrorists

Myanmar also rejected claims that its military’s so-called “clearance operations” in northern Rakhine state in 2016 and 2017 were genocidal in intent, maintaining they were counter-terrorism operations launched in response to attacks by the armed groups.

“Obviously, Myanmar was not obliged to remain idle and allow terrorists to have free rein of northern Rakhine state,” Mr. Hlaing told the Court, while acknowledging that civilians were killed and large numbers of people fled to Bangladesh as a result of the clashes.

He further disputed allegations that Myanmar denies the existence or rights of the Muslim population in northern Rakhine state, arguing that questions of citizenship, terminology and identity “have nothing to do with genocide.”

Myanmar said it has complied with all procedural orders of the Court, including provisional measures issued in January 2020, and has submitted regular reports on steps taken.

It also reiterated its stated commitment to the repatriation of displaced people from Bangladesh, citing bilateral agreements and delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.

The case before the ICJ

The case stems from an application filed by Gambia in November 2019, accusing Myanmar of violating the Genocide Convention through acts allegedly committed during military operations in Rakhine state.

Those operations escalated in 2017, forcing more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh amid widespread killings, sexual violence and village burnings, according to UN investigations. Nearly one million Rohingya remain refugees in Bangladesh.

The hearings, which will continue through late January, mark the first time the Court is examining the merits of the case. The Court’s final judgment, which could take months after the hearings conclude, will be legally binding.

Iran: UN urges ‘maximum restraint’ to avert more death, wider escalation

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee briefed an emergency meeting of the Security Council in New York called by the United States to address the crisis.

Ms. Pobee described the situation in Iran as “fluid and deeply concerning”, noting that “protests continue, albeit reportedly at a smaller scale than last week.”

Against military strikes

She voiced alarm, however, over public statements suggesting possible military strikes on the country.

“This external dimension adds volatility to an already combustible situation. All efforts must be undertaken to prevent any further deterioration,” she said.

Moreover, UN Secretary-General António Guterres “remains convinced that all concerns regarding Iran, including those related to the nuclear issue and ongoing protests, are best addressed through diplomacy and dialogue.”

He also “urges maximum restraint at this sensitive moment and calls on all actors to refrain from any actions that could lead to further loss of life or ignite a wider regional escalation.”

Largest protests in recent years

The protests erupted on 28 December after shopkeepers in the Iranian capital Tehran took to the streets to rail against the collapse of the national currency, soaring inflation and worsening living conditions.

Demonstrations quickly spread across the country, turning into mass anti-government protests – the largest since the movement sparked by the September 2022 death in custody of Kurdish woman Jina Amini who was arrested for allegedly violating hijab laws.

Authorities imposed a near-total communications blackout that is still largely in place. Hundreds and even possibly thousands of protestors and bystanders have been killed, and more than 18,000 people are estimated to be detained, though the UN has not been able to verify these figures.

‘Terrorists’ and ‘rioters’ blamed

“The Government of Iran has stated that it was compelled to act after what it deemed ‘organized terrorists’ and ‘rioters’ infiltrated the protests and opened fire on both security forces and demonstrators, aiming to provoke foreign military intervention,” said Ms. Pobee.

“It has also blamed these elements for the killing of hundreds of civilians and members of the security forces.”

In a recent statement, the UN Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the reported excessive use of force by the authorities and upheld the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

Civil society voices

Iranian journalist and political dissident Masih Alinejad was one of two civil society representatives invited to brief the Council.

“What is needed now to bring justice to those who order massacres in Iran is real and concrete action,” she said.

Iranian-American human rights activist and journalist Ahmad Batebi spoke about how he was arrested for protesting while a student and sentenced to death.

Mr. Batebi said that he was held in solitary confinement for two years, tortured, and forced to admit that he was a paid American spy.

US warns of wider repercussions

US Ambassador Mike Waltz stated that “the level of violence, the level of repression that the Iranian regime has unleashed on its own citizens…has repercussions for international peace and security.”

The Iranian people “are demanding their freedom like never before in the Islamic Republic’s brutal history,” he said, and underscored that President Donald Trump and the United States “stands by the brave people of Iran”.

He stressed that “the regime is solely responsible for the economic misery of the Iranian people and the repression of their freedom” and will be held accountable.

US ‘steering unrest’ in Iran, ambassador claims

Iran’s Deputy Permanent Representative Gholamhossein Darzi began his remarks by denouncing the two civil society briefers, saying they “represent the political agenda of the United States and Israeli regimes.”

Turning to the situation in Iran, the ambassador said that he was speaking on behalf of a “nation in mourning”.

“It is deeply regrettable that the representative of the United States regime, which requested this meeting, has today resorted to lies, distortions of facts and deliberate disinformation to conceal his country’s direct involvement in steering unrest in Iran towards violence,” he said.

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Will AI kickstart a new age of nuclear power?

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The world’s demand for electricity is soaring at an unprecedented pace. Projections indicate that by 2035, global consumption will surge by over 10,000 terawatt-hours, a figure matching the combined current usage of every advanced economy on Earth today.

A primary driver of this explosive growth is the rise of artificial intelligence. The technology is fueled by vast data centers, whose energy needs are staggering. A single medium-sized data center now consumes as much electricity as 100,000 homes. According to the International Energy Agency, demand from these facilities skyrocketed by more than 75% between 2023 and 2024. By 2030, they are expected to be responsible for over 20 percent of all electricity demand growth in advanced nations.

In the United States, the epicenter of the AI industry, the scale is even more pronounced. Forecasts suggest that before this decade ends, the power required for AI data processing will surpass the total combined electricity consumption of the country’s entire aluminium, steel, cement, and chemical manufacturing sectors.

The Nuclear Industry Sees Its Moment

Facing this daunting challenge, a unique summit took place last December. Policymakers, tech executives, and nuclear leaders from across the globe gathered at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna. Their mission: to explore a symbiotic future where nuclear power enables AI’s expansion, and AI, in turn, innovates the nuclear sector.

The logic is rooted in AI’s relentless operational needs. Training a top-tier AI model can require tens of thousands of computer processors to run non-stop for months. Meanwhile, daily AI applications are spreading into every corner of society, from healthcare and transport to education and agriculture. Every digital interaction consumes power.

“We need clean, stable zero-carbon electricity that is available around the clock,” said Manuel Greisinger, a senior manager at Google focused on AI. “This is undoubtedly an extremely high threshold, and it is not achievable with wind and solar power alone. AI is the engine of the future, but an engine without fuel is almost useless. Nuclear energy is not only an option, but also an indispensable core component of the future energy structure.”

A Bullish Vision for Atomic Energy

This view is championed at the highest levels. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi believes the nuclear industry is destined to be the bedrock of the AI revolution. “Only nuclear energy can meet the five needs of low-carbon power generation, round-the-clock reliability, ultra-high power density, grid stability and true scalability,” he declared.

The industry is mobilizing. Currently, 71 new reactors are under construction worldwide, adding to the 441 already operating. The United States, which hosts 94 plants has plans for ten more.

Tech giants are putting their money where their data is. Major companies have pledged support for the goal of trippling global nuclear capacity by 2050. In a landmark move, Microsoft signed a 20-year power purchase agreement that directly facilitated the restart of Unit One at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant.

The trend is worldwide. “Europe has the world’s densest digital corridors, with Frankfurt, Amsterdam and London as hubs,” explained Grossi. Traditional nuclear powers like France and the UK are reinvesting heavily, while newcomers like Poland are accelerating plans.

Russia remains a dominant exporter and developer of reactor technology. China is achieving parallel leadership, leading the world simultaneously in both AI development and the construction of new nuclear reactors. Japan is upgrading its data center infrastructure, and the United Arab Emirates has coupled its new nuclear program with ambitions to become a regional AI hub.

The Promise of Smaller, Faster Reactors

The urgent timeline is fueling interest in small modular reactors (SMRs). Unlike traditional mega-projects that take a decade to build, SMRs offer a nimble alternative.

“These kinds of reactors have a small footprint and upgraded safety systems, and can be deployed in nearby industrial areas, including data centre campuses,” Grossi said. “Tech companies that use them don’t have to worry about regional grid supply constraints or transmission losses. This will be a decisive advantage in areas where grid upgrades are slow.”

Though still emerging from the development phase, progress is swift. Google has signed a pioneering global agreement to purchase nuclear power from a fleet of SMRs, targeting operational status by 2030.

The search for reliable power is pushing boundaries. Google is also looking skyward, researching space-based solar networks to power massive machine-learning operations in orbit, taking advantage of constant, unfiltered sunlight. The company plans to launch two prototype satellites in early 2027 to test the concept.

Whether it’s reviving dormant reactors, betting on compact new designs, building traditional plants, or even gazing at the stars, the trajectory is clear. The world’s digital and energy futures are converging, pointing toward an energy system fundamentally reliant on nuclear power to sustain the civilization of tomorrow.

Training cutting-edge AI models requires tens of thousands of central processing units (CPUs) to run continuously for weeks or even months. At the same time, the daily application of artificial intelligence is expanding to almost all sectors such as hospitals, public administration, transportation, agriculture, logistics and education.

Every query, every simulation, every recommendation consumes power. “We need clean, stable zero-carbon electricity that is available around the clock,” says Manuel Greisinger, a senior manager at Google, focusing on AI. “This is undoubtedly an extremely high threshold, and it is not achievable with wind and solar power alone. AI is the engine of the future, but an engine without fuel is almost useless. Nuclear energy is not only an option, but also an indispensable core component of the future energy structure.”

Bullish nuclear industry

Mr. Greisinger’s view is shared by IAEA Director General Manuel Grossi, who believes that the nuclear industry is destined to be the energy partner of the AI revolution. “Only nuclear energy can meet the five needs of low-carbon power generation, round-the-clock reliability, ultra-high power density, grid stability and true scalability,” he declared.

The nuclear industry appears to be in bullish mood. Seventy-one new reactors are under construction, adding to the 441 that are currently operating globally. Ten are scheduled to be built in the US, which is already home to 94 plants, the largest amount of any country.

The tech giants that are using the data centres have pledged to support the goal of at least tripling global nuclear power capacity by 2050. Microsoft, for example, has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement that allowed Unit One of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, USA, to be restarted.

NOAA/OAR/Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

Russia, with a research base proficient in mathematics and computer science, remains the world’s largest exporter in the field of nuclear energy, and is a leading operator and developer of advanced reactor technology, whilst China is making major achievements in both AI and nuclear energy.

“AI technology and the construction of artificial intelligence data centres are advancing simultaneously, and the number of new nuclear reactors in the world also ranks first in the world during the same period,” said the UN nuclear agency chief.

Japan is investing heavily in building and upgrading data centres to meet growing demand whilst, in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates has established a nuclear energy programme and has emerged as a regional AI hub.

The IAEA supports training to ensure the safety of nuclear power plants like this one in the Czech Republic.

Tech Giants Bet on Mini-Reactors to Power AI Boom

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Sridhar P

The relentless growth of artificial intelligence is creating an energy crisis of its own. To feed the staggering power demands of massive data centers, the technology industry is turning to a new, compact solution: small modular reactors, or SMRs.

These next-generation nuclear units represent a stark departure from the traditional, colossal power plants that can take a decade to build and require enormous upfront investment. Instead, SMRs are designed to be leaner, safer, and faster to deploy.

“These kinds of reactors have a small footprint and upgraded safety systems, and can be deployed in nearby industrial areas, including data centre campuses,” explained Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He highlighted a key advantage for tech companies, noting they “don’t have to worry about regional grid supply constraints or transmission losses. This will be a decisive advantage in areas where grid upgrades are slow, and interconnection queues are long.”

While SMR technology is still advancing from research into real-world application, momentum is building. The IAEA is actively collaborating with global regulators and the nuclear industry to clear the path for widespread deployment. The goal is to see these smaller units operating in large numbers to meet surging electricity demands.

Google’s Nuclear Energy Pact

In a landmark move, Google has signed a pioneering agreement to purchase nuclear energy generated from multiple small modular reactor, a first-of-its-kind deal globally. If development stays on track, the reactors could be supplying clean power to Google’s operations by 2030.

Not content with terrestrial solutions alone, Google is also gazing skyward. The company is investigating the potential of space-based solar networks, which would use unfiltered solar energy in orbit to power large-scale machine learning operations. To test the concept, two prototype satellites are scheduled for launch in early 2027, where their radiation tolerance and data processing capabilities will be put to the test.

From restarting shuttered plants to constructing giant new reactors, and from betting on miniature atomic units to capturing sunlight in space, the strategies vary wildly. Yet energy experts observe that all these paths converge on the same inevitable conclusion: building a future-proof energy system capable of supporting advanced civilization will require a foundation built largely upon nuclear power.

Game-changing international marine protection treaty comes into force

Posted on January 16, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the legally binding UN treaty covers the ocean zones that lie beyond national waters (the “high seas”) and the international seabed area.

These regions make up over two-thirds of the ocean’s surface, representing over 90 per cent of Earth’s habitat by volume. This is because the ocean is deep, and most living space on Earth is underwater.

Here are some of the key things to know:

Why it matters

The BBNJ is designed to transform the “high seas” and international seabed into an environment to be managed sustainably for the benefit of all humanity.

It is also the first legally binding ocean instrument to provide for inclusive ocean governance, with provisions on the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and on gender balance.

It is hoped that, once it is fully implemented, the Agreement will make a vital contribution to addressing the so-called “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

Speaking to UN News, Tanzanian diplomat Mzee Ali Haji, who led his country’s negotiation team during BBNJ discussions, said that the agreement marks a major step in the protection of international waters.

“Everyone should bear in mind that there is now control of the activity in the high seas. For instance, when you pollute, you are responsible for your acts”.

The BBNJ strengthens the current international legal framework: it builds on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – in effect the “constitution for the oceans” – which has set the rules for maritime and seabed exploitation and marine protection since it came into force in 1994.

The agreement addresses gaps in the Convention, includes more detail on how to manage biodiversity and aligns ocean governance with modern challenges like climate change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the UN-brokered blueprint for solving the world’s most intractable challenges).

What does ‘entry into force’ mean?

After the entry into force, it becomes legally binding for the 81 nations that have ratified it so far, meaning that they agree to incorporate it into their national legislation.

The treaty specifies that it enters into force this Saturday: 120 days after it was ratified – accepted as legally by binding – by at least 60 countries.

Who’s signed up, and who hasn’t?

Many major economies have ratified the BBNJ, notably China, Germany, Japan, France and Brazil.

China has a particularly important impact on industries connected to the ocean (such as shipbuilding, aquaculture, fisheries and offshore oil and gas), exporting some $155 billion of ocean-related goods in 2023, according to UN trade agency figures.

The holdouts include the United States, India, the UK and Russia.

The US, the world’s biggest economy, is one of the top five ranked ocean-related goods exporters ($61 billion). Although the country adopted the treaty in 2023, it is not yet ratified, and the Senate has not acted on it.

India, one of the top developing-economy exporters ($19 billion), adopted the treaty in 2024 but domestic legislation on ratification is still pending. While the UK did introduce legislation on the matter in 2025, parliament is still to ratify it.

Russia remains one of the minority of nations that has neither adopted nor ratified the treaty, citing its wish to preserve existing governance frameworks, and ensure that freedom of navigation and shipping in international waters is guaranteed.

Is this a big setback for the treaty?

Despite the reluctance of some major economies to commit fully by ratifying, Mr. Haji is positive about the impact that the BBNJ, in its current state, will have.

“Developing countries and small island countries need support,” he says. “We expect that, in the future, they will accept this agreement, because it will help them. The protection of the high seas is the responsibility of all of us.”

What happens next?

The door remains open for more countries to ratify, which will make it more effective.

“When you negotiate something, you can’t get 100 percent people to ratify it or to accept it in one term,” says Mr. Haji. “Some just observe and then, when they see the advantages, they join. I believe that, in the future others will join”.

Apart from universal participation, the key to making the BBNJ work will be implementation – in other words, acting against those who break the rules.

According to the text of the agreement, the first meeting to monitor progress on both these fronts will take place no later than one year after the Agreement’s entry into force.

Japan Launches High-Seas Gamble to Break China’s Grip on Critical Minerals

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Sridhar P

In a bold move to secure its economic future, Japan has dispatched a research ship on a pioneering mission to the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The goal: to test the viability of mining rare earth elements from the seabed, a high-stakes effort to loosen China’s commanding hold on these vital resources.

The deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu set sail Monday from Shizuoka port, beginning a month-long expedition to waters near remote Minamitori Island, nearly 2,000 kilometers southeast of Tokyo. Its crew of 130 researchers and sailors will attempt a world-first feat: continuously lifting mineral-rich mud from a staggering six kilometers below the surface to test if the rare earths within can be practically recovered.

“For seven years, we have been preparing steadily for this. It is deeply moving to finally begin the confirmation tests,” said project leader Shoichi Ishii, speaking to Reuters as the ship departed against the iconic backdrop of Mount Fuji. “If this project succeeds, it will be of great significance in diversifying Japan’s rare earth resource procurement.”

A Mission Born of Strategic Urgency

The expedition is not merely a scientific endeavor; it is a direct response to growing geopolitical tensions. Japan’s urgency has intensified as Beijing tightens controls on exports of minerals with both civilian and military uses. Reports of broader restrictions on rare earth shipments to Japanese firms have added fuel to the fire, making resource security a top agenda item for global finance leaders.

Japan knows the cost of dependency firsthand. A 2010 diplomatic spat with China led to a sudden curtailment of rare earth exports, sending shockwaves through its high-tech manufacturing sector. Since then, Japan has halved its direct reliance on China from nearly 90% to about 60% by investing in overseas mines and boosting recycling.

Yet, the Minamitori project represents a more fundamental shift—the first serious attempt to establish a domestic source for these critical materials.

“The fundamental solution is to be able to produce rare earths inside Japan,” explained Takahide Kiuchi, an executive economist at Nomura Research Institute. He cautioned, however, that Japan remains almost completely dependent on China for certain heavy rare earths essential for technologies like electric vehicle motors.

A Long and Costly Road Ahead

Success is far from guaranteed. The Japanese government has already invested roughly 40 billion yen ($250 million) since 2018, with no production targets yet set and estimated reserves still undisclosed. If the current tests prove successful, a full-scale mining trial is tentatively scheduled for early 2027.

The economics remain a formidable hurdle. Seabed mining is notoriously expensive, though analysts note that sustained supply disruptions or sharply higher prices could eventually make the venture viable.

The venture is also being closely watched—and subtly challenged—by Beijing. During preliminary survey work last June, Chinese naval vessels operated near the research area, actions Ishii described as “intimidating.” China maintains its activities were lawful and has urged Japan not to “hype up threats.”

As the Chikyu steams toward its destination, it carries not just scientific equipment, but Japan’s hopes for a more secure and self-reliant technological future. The world will be watching to see if those hopes can be raised from the ocean floor.

11-year streak of record global warming continues, UN weather agency warns

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed on Wednesday that 2025 was one of the three warmest years on record, continuing the streak of extraordinary global temperatures.

After analysing eight international datasets, the organization said that global average surface temperatures last year were 1.44°C above the 1850 to 1900 average.

Two of these datasets ranked 2025 as the second warmest year in the 176-year record, and the other six ranked it as the third warmest year.

Warm despite La Niña

The fact that 2025 was very slightly cooler than the three-year average from 2023 is partly explained by the La Niña phenomenon, which is associated with colder weather.

But WMO insisted that any temporary cooling from La Niña is not reversing the long-term trend of warmer temperatures.

“The year 2025 started and ended with a cooling La Niña and yet it was still one of the warmest years on record globally because of the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in our atmosphere,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

The organization added that the high temperatures on land and sea last year helped to fuel extreme weather, including heatwaves, heavy rainfall and deadly tropical cyclones, underlining the need for early warning systems.

Ocean heat

Citing a separate study, WMO highlighted that ocean temperatures were also among the highest on record last year, reflecting the long-term accumulation of heat within the climate system.

Regionally, about 33 per cent of the global ocean area ranked among its historical (1958–2025) top three warmest conditions, while about 57 per cent fell within the top five, including the tropical and South Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, North Indian Ocean and Southern Oceans, underscoring the broad ocean warming across basins.

WMO will provide full details of key climate change indicators, including greenhouse gases, surface temperatures, ocean heat and other trends, in its State of the Global Climate 2025 report to be issued in March.