Myanmar crisis deepens five years after coup, as military ballot entrenches repression

Myanmar crisis deepens five years after coup, as military ballot entrenches repression

The people of Myanmar continue to suffer amid “widespread violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” as the cycle of impunity persists, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement, on Friday, marking the anniversary. “The suffering of the people of Myanmar has deepened,” Farhan Haq, the UN Deputy […]

Gaza City: Daily bombardment, more displacement amid escalating military offensive

Gaza City: Daily bombardment, more displacement amid escalating military offensive

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said people are once again on the move after Israel placed the entire city under displacement orders. Aid partners recorded more than 25,000 displacements between Sunday through Wednesday. Some critical services have already been suspended while some humanitarian facilities have suffered severe damage, disrupting operations and the delivery of essential services. […]

Military spending worldwide hits record $2.7 trillion

Military spending worldwide hits record $2.7 trillion

“The world is spending far more on waging war than in building peace,” the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at a press briefing for his new report on the threat posed by the steady rise in military expenditure. Spending on security needs increased across all five global regions during 2024, marking the steepest year-on-year rise for […]

Syria: Political transition on ‘a knife-edge’ amid military skirmishes

Syria: Political transition on ‘a knife-edge’ amid military skirmishes

Geir Pedersen told ambassadors that in Sweida governate, where sectarian violence in July also spurred conflict in the capital Damascus, the 19 July ceasefire has come under strain, but the conflict has not resumed so far. However, “we are still seeing dangerous hostilities and skirmishes on the margins of Sweida, and violence could resume at any moment,” he […]

Gaza: Aid insufficient to avert ‘widespread starvation’ as Israeli military ramp-up forces more people to flee

Gaza: Aid insufficient to avert ‘widespread starvation’ as Israeli military ramp-up forces more people to flee

“The risk of starvation is everywhere in Gaza,” UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva. “This is a direct result of the Israeli government’s policy of blocking humanitarian aid,” he said. Mr. Al-Kheetan insisted that in the past few weeks, Israeli authorities have only allowed aid to enter in quantities that […]

‘There is no military solution’ to end Israel-Palestine conflict, Security Council hears, as starvation stalks the Gaza Strip

‘There is no military solution’ to end Israel-Palestine conflict, Security Council hears, as starvation stalks the Gaza Strip

Two top UN officials warned that the Israeli cabinet’s green light this week for a fresh offensive aimed at gaining total military control of Gaza City – home to around one million Palestinians – would only risk igniting “another horrific chapter” of displacement, death and destruction. Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and […]

Israel’s military takeover of Gaza City would mark ‘a dangerous escalation’: Guterres

Israel’s military takeover of Gaza City would mark ‘a dangerous escalation’: Guterres

The announcement following an Israeli cabinet meeting “marks a dangerous escalation and risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians, and could further endanger more lives, including of the remaining hostages,” it said. The statement noted that Palestinians in Gaza continue to endure a humanitarian catastrophe of horrific proportions.  More displacement, death and destruction The UN chief warned that this further escalation will […]

SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: ‘Diplomacy must prevail’ over Iran following US military intervention, urges Guterres

SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: ‘Diplomacy must prevail’ over Iran following US military intervention, urges Guterres

The UN Secretary-General told the Security Council on Sunday that the bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites by the United States marks a “perilous turn”, warning that the region cannot endure yet another “cycle of destruction.” António Guterres said the must be an immediate ceasefire and returned to “serious, sustained negotiations.” We’ll have live updates from […]

UN Secretary-General urges military restraint from India, Pakistan

UN Secretary-General urges military restraint from India, Pakistan

In a note to correspondents issued by his spokesperson on Tuesday, Secretary-General António Guterres called for military restraint from both countries. “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the note said. On Monday, the Secretary-General had warned that the tensions between the two South Asian neighbours had reached “their highest in […]

Myanmar crisis deepens as military attacks persist and needs grow

Myanmar crisis deepens as military attacks persist and needs grow

The 28 March quakes killed over 3,800 people and damaged or destroyed more than 55,000 homes across multiple regions, including Bago, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Southern Shan, Naypyitaw and Sagaing. Families already displaced by years of conflict now face early torrential rains, extreme heat and rising risk of disease. Nearly 20 million people – more than […]