Afghanistan: New restrictions on women nationals working for UN, put aid efforts at risk

Afghanistan: New restrictions on women nationals working for UN, put aid efforts at risk

These measures are putting life-saving humanitarian assistance and other essential services for hundreds of thousands of people affected by a recent deadly earthquake at risk, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) warned in a statement. On Sunday, the de facto security forces prevented women Afghan staff members and contractors from entering UN compounds in […]

UN upholds readiness to support peace efforts in Ukraine

UN upholds readiness to support peace efforts in Ukraine

Stéphane Dujarric was responding to a journalist’s question about the meeting held the previous day between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his American counterpart Donald Trump, and several European leaders at the White House. It followed talks last week between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Alaska. Engagement and dialogue “It’s […]

Violence in northern Mozambique forces thousands to flee, straining aid efforts

Violence in northern Mozambique forces thousands to flee, straining aid efforts

The displacement is the latest consequence of a cascade of overlapping emergencies in the country – including armed violence, climate shocks, disease outbreaks and a severe funding shortfall. Since January, over 95,000 people have fled insecurity in Cabo Delgado and humanitarian access is becoming increasingly fragile. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of […]

World News in Brief: Thailand-Cambodia border hostilities, humanitarian efforts in Syria and attacks across Ukraine

World News in Brief: Thailand-Cambodia border hostilities, humanitarian efforts in Syria and attacks across Ukraine

The dispute dates to 1953 when France first mapped the border, but tensions resurfaced in May after the death of a Cambodian soldier in a border skirmish. Secretary-General António Guterres is “following with concern” reports of the clashes, his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists in New York. “The Secretary-General urges both sides to exercise […]

DR Congo: Despite efforts towards a political solution, violence still rages in the east

DR Congo: Despite efforts towards a political solution, violence still rages in the east

Since January, the region has seen a new escalation of violence as the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group launched an offensive in North and South Kivu provinces. While tensions persist in the DRC, both frontlines and negotiation positions are shifting, paving the way for peace, the Security Council heard this Friday. The path to lasting peace in the DRC requires […]

Tobacco control efforts protect three-quarters of the world’s population, WHO report finds

Tobacco control efforts protect three-quarters of the world’s population, WHO report finds

The World Health Organization (WHO) published its 2025 report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic on Monday, focusing on the six policies outlined in the WHO MPOWER tobacco control measures. Since 2007, 155 countries have implemented at least one of those policy prescriptions which has resulted in over 6.1 billion people – that’s three-quarters of the world’s population – […]

Sudan drone attacks raise fears for civilian safety and aid efforts

Sudan drone attacks raise fears for civilian safety and aid efforts

“These attacks appear to be the latest in a series of retaliatory military operations, conducted by the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces, targeting airports in each other’s areas of control,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters in New York on Monday. The fighting between troops of the military Government and former […]