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World News in Brief: violence spurs displacement in Syria, Israeli forces cross the Blue Line in Lebanon, mall fire kills dozens in Iraq

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As of Thursday, nearly 2,000 families have been displaced from violence-affected areas in Sweida governate and are currently sheltering in a dozen collective sites. Many are unable to return home due to damage, looting or destruction of their homes.

The health systems in Sweida and neighbouring Dar’a governorate remain under critical strain, operating without power and facing severe supply shortages. Reports also suggest that at least two doctors were killed in the recent clashes, and some armed groups have occupied health facilities, putting patients and staff at risk.

Mobilisation amid constrained access

The UN and its partners are mobilising humanitarian assistance as security allows and working with authorities to facilitate access.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has dispatched 35 trauma and emergency surgery kits for 1,750 interventions, but many remain undelivered because of constrained access.  

“We urge all parties to protect people caught up in the violence, including by allowing them to move freely to seek safety and medical assistance,” said Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stephanie Tremblay at Thursday’s daily press briefing in New York.

She also stressed that security forces must respect applicable international law, norms and standards throughout their operations.

Lebanon: UN peacekeepers observe unauthorised Israeli activities  

Ms. Tremblay also reported that peacekeepers at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continue to observe Israeli military activities in its area of operations.

On 16 July, Israeli soldiers crossed north of the Blue Line to conduct military exercises.  

UNIFIL peacekeepers have also heard several explosions, including one on 17 July near the Mission Headquarters in Naqoura.  

The “blue helmets” have additionally discovered unauthorized weapons and ammunition caches at one site, rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, mortar rounds and ammunition boxes.  

Commitment to Lebanon

In response to recent observations the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Diodato Abagnara, met with the Lebanese Army’s South Litani Sector Commander Brigadier General Nicolas Tabet in Tyre on 17 July.  

“Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert and General Abagnara underlined our commitment to supporting the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, including strengthening State authority and helping restore stability in southern Lebanon,” Ms. Tremblay said.

As part of UNIFIL’s support, peacekeepers trained with Lebanese Armed Forces personnel in Tyre on 16 July, enhancing the operational competency of the Lebanese Army personnel.

Fire in Iraqi shopping mall

The United Nations has expressed condolences to the families of the victims of a tragic fire in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut on Wednesday.

According to news reports, the fire tore through the shopping centre – which opened only a week ago – leaving at least 61 people dead.  

“We express our strong solidarity with the people of Wasit Governorate in this profound loss,” Ms. Tremblay said.  

She also emphasised that the UN and its partners are ready to provide humanitarian assistance to help mitigate the tragedy’s impact.

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World News in Brief: Haiti funding cuts bite, civilian suffering intensifies in Myanmar, Belarus deaths in custody alert

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Ongoing violence is compounding the country’s food crisis, disrupting local food production in critical areas such as the commune of Kenscoff and the Artibonite department, often considered the breadbaskets of Haiti.

While the UN and its partners are responding “wherever and whenever possible,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said this Wednesday that humanitarians have only been able to reach 38 per cent of the population they aim to support.

Multiple roadblocks

“This is due to ongoing violence and insecurity, severe underfunding of the response, and the obvious access challenges,” he said.

Over halfway through the year, Haiti is the least-funded of the many humanitarian appeals that the UN coordinates – despite shortfalls for food security in the country being at extreme levels – with just over two per cent of the $425 million needed this year received to date.

Myanmar: Intensifying conflict impedes humanitarian aid

Almost four months after Myanmar’s devastating earthquake, the UN is deeply concerned over the plight of civilians caught up in the country’s devastating and continuing conflict between the military regime and opposition armed groups.

As fighting intensifies, civilians are particularly vulnerable, with increasing attacks on infrastructure.

According to reports, an air strike hit a monastery in Sagan Township in Sagaing Region on 11 July, killing 22 people and injuring at least 50 others. The monastery had been providing shelter to displaced people who had fled nearby villages.

A displacement camp in North Shan State was also reportedly hit by an airstrike over the weekend.

‘Broader pattern’

“These incidents are part of a broader pattern of attacks affecting people across Myanmar,” said Mr. Dujarric, with frequent reports of people being killed, injured or displaced by violence.

Such insecurity also impacts the ability of humanitarian teams to reach people in need: with one in three people now facing acute hunger, and the current monsoon season having caused flooding, “the UN urgently calls on all parties to respect human rights and international humanitarian law,” he said.

Belarus: Rights experts urge probe into deaths in custody of opposition activists

Top independent human rights experts called on Belarus on Wednesday to launch urgent investigations into the deaths of several people jailed for political dissent.

The experts – who are known as Special Rapporteurs – highlighted the case of 61-year-old businessman Valiantsin Shtermer. He died in May 2025 while serving his sentence in a so-called “Correctional Colony” in Šklou.

Mr. Shtermer had been jailed for making critical remarks about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite his serious medical condition, he was allegedly denied adequate care in prison.

Fifty-year-old opposition activist Vitold Ashurak meanwhile, also died shortly after being placed in an isolation in the same prison.

According to the Special Rapporteurs, Mr. Ashurak was a member of the Belarusian National Front who was jailed for violating public order during protests related to the disputed 2020 presidential elections.

We must not ignore these deaths

“These deaths must not be ignored,” said the experts, who added that there were strong grounds to believe that they resulted from abuse or neglect linked to the exercise of fundamental rights.

“It is of the utmost importance to thoroughly investigate the alleged instances of ill-treatment and neglect that resulted in the deaths of Shtermer, Ashurak, Puškin and other persons designated as political prisoners by human rights defenders,” the Human Rights Council appointed experts underscored.

“There are strong reasons to believe that these individuals lost their lives in retaliation for exercising their civil and political rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

The independent experts voiced concern that some opposition figures had been stigmatised and labelled as “extremists” or even “terrorists”.

Special Rapporteurs report regularly to the Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.

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World News in Brief: Inter-ethnic violence in Syria, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, global information security

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The violence erupted two days after a Druze merchant was abducted on the highway to Damascus.

The incident marks the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since Islamist rebels toppled former dictator Bashar al-Assad in December and installed a new caretaker Government, which is gaining increasing international recognition.

Those targeted include the Druze sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam.  

UN voices ‘deep concern’

On Monday, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, expressed “deep concern” over these reports and urged authorities and stakeholders to “take immediate steps to protect civilians, restore calm and prevent incitement.”

She also underscored the need for inclusion, trust-building and meaningful dialogue to advance a credible and inclusive political transition in Syria.

UN human rights chief says ‘wisdom’ of Indigenous Peoples needed in climate change, digital policy upgrades

The UN human rights chief spoke at a high-level political forum on the rights of Indigenous Peoples on Monday.

Underscoring how crucial such forums are to advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples, Volker Türk highlighted developments in Colombia, Finland and Guatemala that have given them more self-determination.

But despite these advances, violations against Indigenous Peoples’ rights continue.

Many still lack formal land recognition, while mining activity, deforestation and large-scale agricultural development often cause environmental destruction.

Indigenous Peoples also experience immense discrimination and face the brunt of climate chaos, Mr. Türk stressed.

Toll on activists

Furthermore, data from the human rights office reveals that 26 per cent of rights activists killed in 2023 and 2024 were Indigenous, largely in the Americas.

Additionally, states are using AI in ways that harm Indigenous Peoples through surveillance, data exploitation and exclusion from decision-making. Türk thus called for human rights-based approaches that uphold Indigenous data sovereignty and self-determination.

The High Commissioner also called for future policies on climate, digital technologies and other areas to “reflect the wisdom and experience of Indigenous Peoples.”

“This is not only essential to respect and fulfil the human rights of Indigenous Peoples,” he concluded. “There is growing recognition that the ideas and approaches of Indigenous Peoples hold important lessons for all of us.”

Guterres welcomes step forward in securing digital technology worldwide

The UN chief Antonio Guterres on Monday, welcomed the adoption by consensus of the UN Open Ended Working Group on Information and Communication Technologies.

It was established in 2020 with a five-year mandate to promote regular institutional dialogue and initiatives focused on keeping digital technologies safe and secure.  

The Secretary-General welcomed the Final Report of 10 July, which summed up the past five years of negotiations, said a statement issued by his Spokesperson.  

It reflects shared views on current and emerging threats, responsible government policies, international law, norms and efforts such as confidence-building and capacity development.  

Call for cooperation

It also establishes a permanent mechanism to continue discussions about responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies, which the Secretary General particularly appreciated.  

“The Secretary-General now calls upon all States to work together through the Global Mechanism to tackle digital risks and ensure these technologies are leveraged for good,” the statement said.  

The Secretary General congratulated the group on its accomplishments, saying the consensus adoption “demonstrates that even in the most challenging international security environment, collective action is still possible.” 

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World News in Brief: Global investment plunges, hurricane season in Haiti, rising cholera and hunger in South Sudan

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Their latest data shows that the outlook for international investment this year “is negative”, a sharp course correction from January, when “modest” growth seemed possible.

The reasons for this range from trade tensions and tariffs whose main effect has been a “dramatic increase in investor uncertainty”, said UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan.

She said that investment in renewable energy, water and sanitation fell by some 30 per cent and that agriculture saw a 19 per cent drop in investor confidence.

Only the health sector saw an increase of nearly 20 per cent, Ms. Grynspan said, although that only accounts for “less than $15 billion globally”.

‘Very real consequences’

“Behind those numbers are very real consequences. Jobs not created,” she said. “Infrastructure not built, sustainable development delayed. What we see here is not just a downturn. It is a pattern.”

Ms. Grynspan also cited “growing geopolitical tensions” in addition to rising trade barriers around the world as reasons for the fall in global investment for development.

In critical sectors as hi-tech industries and rare earth minerals, governments are also tightening screening measures on proposed foreign investment, the UN agency noted.

Supplies to limit hurricane impact in Haiti critically low

The Humanitarian Country Team in Haiti warned Wednesday that funding and pre-positioned contingency supplies are critically low ahead of what is forecast to be an above-average hurricane season.

Haiti is highly vulnerable to extreme weather, with 96 per cent of the population at risk. Forecasts project 12 to 19 tropical storms and up to five major hurricanes this year.

The alert comes as the fragile island nation grapples with a worsening humanitarian crisis. Armed gangs control much of the country, the collapse of essential services and growing displacement have left 5.7 million people food insecure, 1.3 million displaced and 230,000 living in makeshift shelters ill-equipped to withstand severe weather.

Limited preparations  

Humanitarian actors have pre-positioned limited stocks of essential items, but they are at a record low for a hurricane season posing such high risk.  

For the first time, Haiti will begin the hurricane season without pre-positioned food supplies or the financial resources necessary to initiate a rapid response.  

Meanwhile, UN Humanitarian Office (OCHA) is coordinating missions with UN agencies and partners to assess how to safely resume aid operations in high-need areas, following their suspension on 26 May due to insecurity.

“I am deeply concerned for communities, families, and vulnerable groups who have already been affected by violence and are living in precarious conditions,” said Ulrika Richardson, Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, calling for immediate support.

As of mid-June, the $908 million Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti is just 8 per cent funded.

Worsening cholera and hunger in South Sudan

OCHA raised the alarm on Thursday over rising malnutrition and cholera cases in war-torn South Sudan.

An estimated 2.3 million children under five urgently need treatment for acute malnutrition, a 10 per cent increase since last July.

This crisis is unfolding amid the world’s most severe cholera outbreak this year, with almost 74,000 cases and at least 1,362 deaths reported as of 16 June.  

The start of the rainy season and waning immunity risk a significant surge in infections.

UN response

The 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for South Sudan is only 20 per cent funded.

Despite limited resources and many challenges, the UN and partners have scaled up efforts, delivering vaccines and life-saving aid to contain the disease and protect the most vulnerable.

“This dire situation is a stark reminder that we need funding urgently to expand food assistance, to expand nutrition and expand health services to those who need it the most,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric at the daily briefing in New York. 

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World News in Brief: Rights abuses in Haiti, Sudan war sees exodus to Chad, food trade optimism

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Between 1 January and 30 May, at least 2,680 people – including 54 children – were killed, 957 injured, 316 kidnapped for ransom, and many more subjected to sexual violence and child gang recruitment.

“Alarming as they are, numbers cannot express the horrors Haitians are being forced to endure daily,” said Mr. Türk.

Conflicts on all sides

In recent months, gangs have attacked Mirebalais in the centre of the country, looting police stations, destroying property and freeing over 500 inmates from the local prison.

Meanwhile, so-called self-defence groups have targeted individuals they suspect of gang affiliation. On 20 May, at least 25 people were killed and 10 injured by a group accusing them of supporting gangs.

Law enforcement has ramped up operations against them. Since January, police have killed at least 1,448 people, including 65 during extrajudicial executions.

Mr. Türk called on the international community to take decisive action to end the violence, including renewed support for the Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission and full enforcement of the council’s arms embargo.

He also reiterated his call for States to not forcibly return anyone to Haiti.  

“The coming months will be crucial and will test the international community’s ability to take stronger, more coordinated action – action that will help determine the future stability of Haiti and the wider region,” Mr. Türk added.

Outlook for food trade ‘relatively optimistic’, FAO says

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released their annual Food Outlook report Thursday which provides a “relatively optimistic” look at international food markets.  

According to the report, production is expected to increase across almost all categories, with grain production expected to reach record levels. And while prices do remain higher this year than last, between April and May there was an overall decrease of almost one per cent. 

The report noted, however, that global trends — including rising geopolitical tensions, climate shocks and trade uncertainties — may still negatively impact production.  

“While agricultural production trends appear solid, drivers that could negatively impact global food security are increasing,” said FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero.

Fowl, fish fraud and fertilizer flows

The report noted that outbreaks of avian influenza have become more persistent and constitute “one of the most significant biological threats to the global poultry sector.” Nevertheless, poultry exports have largely remained largely resilient so far.  

The issue of fish fraud – the misrepresentation of the location or manner of the catch – was also discussed, with FAO warning that risks are growing.  

Additionally, the report examined fertilizer flows, noting Russia’s growing exports and the decrease in fertilizer prices since the COVID pandemic.  

Overall, the report noted, the cost of imports worldwide has increased by 3.6 percent or nearly $2.1 trillion.  

Eastern Chad ‘reaching a breaking point’ as Sudan war refugees continue to arrive  

Aid teams in eastern Chad warn on Friday that host communities are reaching breaking point because of climate shocks and the pressure of hosting war refugees from neighbouring Sudan.

In an alert, the UN’s top aid official in Chad, François Batalingaya, warned that a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding almost unnoticed by the world’s media.

“Right now, nearly 300,000 people are stranded at the border, waiting to be relocated inland,” he noted.  

“Tens of thousands, mostly women and children, are sleeping in the open without shelter, clean water and health care. These are survivors of war. They arrive traumatized, hungry, and with nothing. They recount stories of mass killings, sexual violence and entire communities destroyed.” 

Major exodus

Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, more than 850,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad. They’ve joined the 400,000 existing Sudanese refugees who have arrived over the last 15 years.

The UN aid official explained that even before the latest Sudanese arrivals, nearly one million people in eastern Chad were in urgent need of help.  

Today, “they are sharing what little they have – food, water, and space – with those fleeing the war,” Mr. Batalingaya said.

In an appeal for international assistance, he warned that clinics are overwhelmed, malnutrition is rising and basic services are buckling.  

World News in Brief: ‘Indifference and impunity’ in Sudan, ICC judges speak out against sanctions, respiratory diseases overlooked in Europe

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Tom Fletcher noted that over 30 million people require humanitarian assistance. Moreover, with famine declared in multiple places and over 14.6 million people displaced, Sudan represents the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

“Again and again, the international community has said that we will protect the people of Sudan. The people of Sudan should ask us if, when and how we will start to deliver on that promise,” the relief chief said.

When will the international community fully fund aid efforts in Sudan?

When will accountability for the violence in Sudan happen?

He called on the international community to stop acting with ‘indifference and impunity’ towards Sudan,

Health system ‘smashed to pieces’

Since the conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2022, civilian infrastructure across the country has been damaged or destroyed, including health facilities and water and sanitation systems. 

The health system in particular has been “smashed to pieces,” according to Mr. Fletcher, leading to increasingly dire measles and cholera outbreaks.

The cholera outbreak, which began in July 2024 and is now confirmed in 13 of Sudan’s 18 states, has infected more than 74,000 people in total and killed 1,826.

“I have seen first-hand the devastation caused by the cholera outbreak in Khartoum, where the health system has been devastated by conflict and is struggling to cope with the tremendous demand on health facilities,” Dr. Shible Sahbni, WHO representative in Sudan.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the Sudanese Ministry of Health, is launching a 10-day cholera vaccination campaign in Khartoum State.

The campaign will aim to reach 2.6 million people in an effort to contain the cholera outbreak in the state.

“The vaccines will help stop cholera in its tracks as we strengthen other response interventions,” said Dr. Sahbni.

 

ICC judges express support for colleagues sanctioned by US

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) expressed solidarity with their colleagues who have recently been sanctioned by the United States Government, describing the move as “coercive measures aimed at undermining the independence of the judiciary.”

“The Judges stand united and will continue to exercise their functions independently, impartially and conscientiously, fulfilling the demands of the rule of law,” they said in a statement on Thursday.

The US announced sanctions on 6 June against four judges from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda. The justices are currently overseeing a 2020 case which alleges war crimes in Afghanistan committed by the US and Afghan armies and the 2024 ICC arrest warrants issued for sitting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

The International Court of Justice

The UN Human Rights Chief Volter Türk previously said that he was “deeply disturbed” by these sanctions, arguing that they corroded international governance and justice.

No improper influence

The ICC is an independent judicial body established under the Rome Statute, adopted in 1998. Although not part of the United Nations, the ICC works closely with it under a cooperative framework.

In the statement, the Judges said that they decide, and will continue to decide, cases based on facts and without regard to threats, restrictions or improper influence issued “from any quarter or for any reason.”

“The Judges reaffirm that they are equal in the performance of their functions and that they will always uphold the principle of equality before the law.”

Over 80 Million Europeans suffering from overlooked chronic respiratory diseases

Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma are vastly underestimated, underdiagnosed and poorly managed in Europe – affecting 80 million people and costing $21 billion a year, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

A new report by WHO Europe and the European Respiratory Society highlights how smoking and air pollution are driving the growing crisis.

“We take 22,000 breaths a day, yet respiratory health remains one of the most neglected areas in global health,” said Professor Silke Ryan, President of the European Respiratory Society.

6th leading cause of death

Data analysis shows that chronic respiratory illnesses are the sixth leading cause of death in Europe. They are often misdiagnosed owing to weak diagnostic systems, limited training and inadequate health data.

Although effective treatments are available, asthma-related deaths remain high among young people, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is responsible for eight in 10 respiratory disease deaths.

As preparations begin for the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases, WHO Europe urged governments to prioritize chronic respiratory disease, set measurable targets and tackle root causes like tobacco and air pollution.

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World News in Brief: Global growth slows, deadly Ukraine attacks, Haiti hurricane hunger risk, legal migration for refugees

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Growth is projected to weaken to 2.3 per cent, or nearly half a percentage point lower than expected at the start of the year, according to the Global Economic Prospects report.

“The global outlook is predicated on tariff rates close to those of late May prevailing,” it said.

“Accordingly, pauses to previously announced tariff hikes between the United States and its trading partners are assumed to persist.”

Although a global recession is not expected, average global growth is on track to be the slowest of any decade since the 1960s.

Poor countries suffer

Growth forecasts are being slashed in nearly 70 per cent of all economies, with the poorest countries most affected.

In most developing countries, nearly 60 per cent, growth should average 3.8 per cent in 2025 before reaching an average 3.9 per cent in the following two years – more than a percentage lower than the average in the 2010s.

The slowdown will impact efforts by developing countries in areas such as job creation, poverty reduction and closing income gaps with richer economies.

“The world economy today is once more running into turbulence. Without a swift course correction, the harm to living standards could be deep,” said Indermit Gill, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist.

The report calls for rebuilding trade relations as “economic cooperation is better than any of the alternatives – for all parties,” he said.

Countries are also urged to improve business climates and to promote employment by ensuring workers are equipped with necessary skills.

At least three dead in new Russian drone assault on Ukrainian cities 

A massive new wave of Russian drone attacks has killed at least three civilians and left Kyiv, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia engulfed in clouds of thick smoke, aid teams said on Tuesday. 

The attack was reportedly one of the largest since Russia’s full-scale invasion more than three years ago.

In an online update, the UN aid coordinating office, OCHA, said that a maternity ward in Odesa had come under fire, causing injuries and widespread damage to homes. 

Another terrible night

The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, underscored the impact of the violence on civilians, citing 16-year-old Sonya from Kyiv in an online post. “It was a terrible night,” she said. “The sounds were so frightening – a buzzing sound that was getting closer and explosions every five minutes.”

Russia has intensified its airstrikes on Ukraine in recent days. 

According to Moscow, it stepped up its bombing campaign in retaliation for Ukraine’s suprise drone attacks deep inside Russian territory last week codenamed operation spiderweb.

Amid the ongoing conflict, UN humanitarian teams and partners continue to work to help civilians in cities across Ukraine.

They provide first aid, protection services, food, construction materials and other support including counselling and legal advice.

Haiti: Hurricane season is here, but there are no food supplies

The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that for the first time ever, it has no prepositioned food supplies in Haiti for the hurricane season, which lasts from June to November. 

WFP also said staffers do not have the financial resources to respond quickly to an emergency weather event in the country. 

Other UN agencies have prepositioned water and sanitation kits for 100,000 and health supplies for 20,000 people. However, these are not sufficient, especially in the absence of food, to meet needs during an emergency. 

“The current lack of contingency stocks and operational funds leaves Haiti’s most at-risk communities dangerously unprotected at a time of heightened vulnerability,” Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a briefing Tuesday. 

Famine-like conditions

Food insecurity and malnutrition are already rampant, with over half the population facing acute hunger. Haiti is one of five countries worldwide which is experiencing famine-like conditions. 

Continuing armed violence by gangs in the capital and in other regions has displaced over one million people, compounding the hunger crisis and limiting access to other basic services such as clean water and health care. 

UN agencies in the country estimate that they will need $908 million to continue providing life-saving resources in Haiti, but currently, they have only received $78 million in emergency support. 

Refugees find hope through legal migration

Nearly one million refugees from eight countries with high asylum recognition rates were granted entry permits to 38 destination countries between 2019 and 2023, according to a new report from UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Safe Pathways for Refugees. 

These permits were issued through existing systems for work, study, or family reunification.

“Refugees are using the same legal channels that millions rely on every day,” said Ruven Menikdiwela, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection. 

“We don’t need new systems – just safer access to the ones already in place.”

In 2023 alone, nearly 255,000 permits were issued, marking a 14 per cent increase from 2022 and the highest number recorded since tracking began in 2010. 

Countries such as Germany, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden have played a leading role. 

UNHCR is urging States to remove obstacles for refugees and integrate them into regular migration systems. It also calls for stronger partnerships to expand access to legal pathways amid growing displacement and strained asylum systems. 

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World News in Brief: Women’s health in Sudan, childhood wasting, Belarus trade unions, Guatemala child rights violation

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As hostilities rage in Sudan, access constraints and devastating funding cuts are isolating rape survivors and pregnant women from essential health services, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA said on Thursday. 

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World News in Brief: Aid for Syria, children under attack in Mozambique, rights-based climate action

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Despite limited resources, the UN and partners are reaching some 2.5 million people each month across the country. In May alone, more than one million people received assistance, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Cross-border aid has significantly increased this year. Since January, 1,185 humanitarian trucks have crossed from Türkiye into Syria – six times the number recorded during the same period last year. The uptick reflects growing needs and intensified delivery efforts.

Syria’s health system, however, remains under severe strain. Fewer than 60 per cent of hospitals and less than half of primary health centres are fully functional. Essential medicines are in short supply, treatment costs are beyond the reach of many families and overcrowded shelters continue to heighten the risk of disease outbreaks.

Meanwhile, explosive remnants of war and unexploded ordnance pose a deadly and ongoing threat to civilians. Since 8 December, 2024, more than 1,000 casualties have been reported – over 400 of them fatal and nearly 600 resulting in injuries – children accounting for over a third of the victims.

“The humanitarian community is calling for urgent support to expand risk education, professional clearance operations and assistance for survivors,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the regular news briefing in New York.

Funding shortfalls are compounding the crisis. The Syria Humanitarian Response Plan requires $2 billion by the end of June to support 8 million of the most vulnerable people. To date, it has received just $236 million – less than 12 per cent of the total needed.

Northern Mozambique has been mired in what has been described as a “triple crisis” – violence and insecurity, climate shocks, and post-electoral unrest. (file photo)

Children targeted by armed groups in northern Mozambique

Children also continue to bear the brunt of a worsening crisis in Mozambique, where over 1.3 million people have been displaced by violence, extreme weather shocks and post-electoral unrest.

These crises have also left 5.2 million in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The situation is particularly dire in the northern Cabo Delgado province, which has witnessed a spike in reports of abduction, forced recruitment and use of children by non-state armed groups.

According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least three girls aged 12, 14 and 17 were killed in an attack last month, and eight other children abducted – highlighting the grave risks facing children in the conflict.

The agency expressed deep concern over such gross violations of children’s rights, stressing that “every child has the right to live in safety, free from violence and fear.”

UNICEF is working with partner agencies to assist impacted children and their families, support the safe return and reintegration of children abducted by non-state armed groups, and provide access to vital services such as health, protection, and education.

UN rights chief calls for bold climate action grounded in human rights

The UN’s top rights official warned on Tuesday that humanity’s survival is inseparable from the health of the planet.

Speaking at Oxford University, Volker Türk highlighted the need for a new kind of politics to tackle the climate crisis and rising global inequality, urging strong leadership to push for urgent, just and rights-based solutions.

“Not only have we created a false separation from nature, we are deluded enough to believe we can make nature bend to our will,” Mr. Türk said, criticizing the continued exploitation of fragile ecosystems.

The High Commissioner linked environmental degradation with systemic injustice, stating that the world’s richest one per cent are responsible for more carbon emissions than the poorest two-thirds. He stressed that those least responsible for the climate crisis are often the ones suffering its worst impacts.

He also expressed concern over the lack of adequate climate finance and called for reforms to international financial systems, noting growing support for a proposed fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty that would aim to end the expansion of new oil, coal and gas projects.

“Our rights call for all people, now and in the future, to live in safety, security and opportunity, on a healthy planet,” he said.

Mr. Türk concluded by urging governments, institutions and individuals to join a global movement for change, grounded in human rights, to address the climate emergency and build a more sustainable and equitable future.

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World News in Brief: Guterres condemns antisemitic attacks, ILO to debate pros and cons of working online, Sudan, Ukraine updates

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A man was arrested in Boulder after reportedly using a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to set people on fire at an event in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza on Sunday.

The suspect reportedly yelled “Free Palestine” during the attack and now faces federal hate crime charges along with multiple felonies.

The attack injured at least eight people, ranging in age from 52 to 88. The injuries have been described by local police as ranging from minor to “very serious”.

Holocaust memorial targeted

In a further antisemitic act in Paris, vandals targeted the Shoah Memorial, three synagogues and the Jewish restaurant Chez Marianne on Saturday morning, according to news reports.

Photos show green paint splashed on the Le Mur Des Justes wall, which lists names of French men and women who helped Jews during the World War II.

No suspects have been arrested so far and no group has claimed responsibility, news reports noted.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents at the Noon Briefing in New York that “The Secretary-General condemns these acts.”

“The United Nations firmly stands against all forms of antisemitism, as well as all other manifestations of extremism and any incitement to religious hatred and violence, and he calls for swift action to hold those responsible accountable,” 
Mr. Dujarric said.

UN labour agency sheds light on potential risks of online work

Governments, employers, and workers from the 187 UN ILO Member States are currently meeting in Geneva for the International Labour Organization’s annual conference.

The potential pitfalls of online platforms will be one key area for debate, as countries mull reforms to protect workers and promote development.

Digital platforms have grown rapidly in recent decades in line with the gig economy, boosting online education, tourism and transport, for example.

Lack of protections

But although businesses that use digital platforms offer flexibility for workers, there’s concern that they don’t offer enough social protection or decent conditions.

According to senior ILO official Angelika Muller many online workers lack protections as part of the informal economy.

As such, many face poor working conditions while many employers turn to  algorithms to evaluate worker performance.

Member States are also expected to agree on new ways to help countries transition from the informal to the formal economy and address the issue of health dangers from exposure to biological hazards at work.

Attacks on Sudanese civilians continue

On May 29, the World Food Programme’s facility in Al Fasher was repeatedly shelled, resulting in extensive damage, according to a report on Monday from UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

The next day, Eldaman International Hospital in Al Obeid was struck by a drone attack, killing at least six health workers and injuring more than 15 others.

Both attacks were reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia which has been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for control of the country since April 2023.

Acting Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Kristine Hambrouck, released a statement on Sunday calling the attacks a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law,” calling on all sides to protect civilian lives.

UN relief chief Tom Fletcher, also expressed concern over these attacks in a social media post Monday: “These attacks must stop.”

Continued cholera threats

Meanwhile, in Khartoum state, strikes on electricity infrastructure have aggravated water shortages, forcing many residents to rely on unsafe water sources and endangering over one million children with waterborne diseases, as cholera continues to spread across Sudan.

Thanks to the efforts of health workers and community volunteers, daily cholera cases in the capital region have fallen compared to previous weeks.

There have been more than 16,500 cases and over 340 reported deaths in Khartoum since the outbreak began.

Dozens of cases are also emerging in the South Darfur state, prompting officials to declare a health emergency and appeal for urgent support to contain the outbreak.

With UN support, local health authorities have established treatment centers and initiated surveillance and community health efforts. 

is urging the international community to act now to ensure that aid reaches those most in need, to halt the spread of cholera, and to protect the millions of civilians at risk.

Recent attacks on Ukrainian civilians 

The UN on Monday reported that attacks in Ukraine over the weekend and Monday left more than 20 civilians dead, including one child, and injured over 100 others.

Civilian infrastructure – including homes, medical and educational facilities and power and gas lines – was also affected.

Notably, the attacks occurred just hours before Ukrainian and Russian delegations met for a second round of preliminary peace talks in Türkiye on Monday.

Humanitarian response

Humanitarian organizations are providing critical support to affected families, including emergency repair materials, legal and psychological assistance, and evacuations from areas where heavy fighting is continuing.

On 30 May, an inter-agency convoy delivered essential aid – including solar lamps, charging stations, kitchen sets, diapers, food, hygiene items and first aid kits – to over 700 residents in the frontline Mylivska community of Kherson.

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World News in Brief: Education suffers amid DR Congo violence, WHO greenlights RSV vaccines, more hurricanes ahead for Haiti

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According to UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, more than 290 schools have been damaged or destroyed in Ituri this year alone, bringing the total number of out-of-school children in the province to over 1.3 million.

Protection crisis

Between January and April 2025, a surge in violence displaced more than 100,000 people – half of them children. During this period, reported cases of abduction, maiming, sexual violence, and the recruitment and use of children by armed groups rose by 32 per cent compared to the same timeframe last year.

John Adbor, UNICEF’s representative in the DRC, referred to the situation as a “protection crisis”, stating: “Violence and conflict are shattering children’s right to learn – putting them at far greater risk of being recruited by armed groups, exploited, and abused.”

“The needs are immense, and our resources are not enough,” Mr. Adbor added, referring to UNICEF’s emergency response in the region.

With more than 1.8 million conflict-affected children now out of school across the DRC, UNICEF is prioritising mental health and psychosocial support through child-friendly spaces, reintegration of children formerly associated with armed groups, and treatment for acute malnutrition.

WHO approves two new vaccines to protect infants from RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of severe lung infections in young children globally, resulting in approximately 100,000 deaths each year among children under the age of five.

Alarmingly, 97 per cent of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.

Although RSV can infect people of all ages, “it is especially harmful to infants, particularly those born prematurely,” said Kate O’Brien from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Around half of all RSV-related deaths occur in babies younger than six months.

New immunisation products

On Friday, WHO issued recommendations for two new immunisation tools: a maternal vaccine, administered to pregnant women in their third trimester to protect their newborns; and a long-acting antibody injection for infants, which begins to protect within a week of administration and lasts for at least five months.

Considering the global burden of severe RSV illness in infants, WHO recommends  that all countries adopt either the maternal vaccine or the antibody injection as part of their national immunisation strategies.

“These RSV immunisation products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalisations and deaths, and ultimately save many infant lives worldwide,” said Ms O’Brien.

Dire hurricane forecasts compound Haiti woes

UN humanitarians have raised alarm over Haiti’s heightened vulnerability to natural disasters, warning that the country’s limited capacity to respond could be severely tested during the 2025 hurricane season – forecast to be significantly more intense than average across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Rubbish burns on the coast of Haiti.

Running from June to November, the upcoming season poses a serious threat to the impoverished island nation, where economic crisis, ongoing gang-related violence and rampant insecurity have already displaced over one million people.

Displacement sites at risk

More than 200,000 people are currently living in displacement sites across the country, many of which are situated in flood-prone areas.

Lacking proper shelter, drainage and sanitation, these camps “leave families acutely vulnerable to storms,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is working with national authorities and humanitarian partners to prepare for the hurricane season. Ongoing efforts include contingency planning, mapping of high-risk areas – particularly displacement sites – and strengthening early warning systems.

However, humanitarian access remains limited, and preparedness is severely hindered by the lack of pre-positioned supplies throughout the country.

This is a “direct consequence of underfunding,” said Mr. Dujarric, adding that “funding remains a major obstacle” to the UN’s emergency response in Haiti.

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World News in Brief: UK cedes sovereignty over Chagos Islands, suffering in Sudan deepens, UN releases new emergency relief funds

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Before granting Mauritius independence in 1968, Britain unlawfully separated the Chagos archipelago to create the British Indian Ocean Territory.

In doing so, it expelled 1,500–2,000 islanders to lease Diego Garcia, the largest island, to the United States for joint military use.

Under the agreement, the UK will lease the island of Diego Garcia for the next 99 years to continue operating its joint military base with the United States.

Value of diplomacy

The agreement signed on Thursday between the UK and Mauritius is “a significant step towards resolving a long-standing dispute in the Indian Ocean region” and “demonstrates the value of diplomacy in addressing historical grievances”, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric in Thursday’s briefing.

Welcoming the signature of the agreement, the UN Secretary-General, urged both the UK and Mauritius to “continue engaging in constructive discussion”, in order to ensure that “the rights and aspirations of the Chagossians people are fully respected,” said Mr. Dujarric.

Sudan: Civilian Suffering Deepens Amid Drone Strikes

The civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed over 18,000 people and displaced 13 million, triggering a regional migration crisis.

Even before the war, humanitarian conditions and human rights protections were fragile, but in the past two years, they have become dire.

Of the 30.4 million Sudanese in need of assistance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is currently reaching 2.3 million with emergency food and nutrition support, as ongoing violence and infrastructure destruction compound the crisis.

Urgent ceasefire needed

Recent drone attacks on Port Sudan, once a vital entry point for aid, have further deepened the crisis. UN-designated expert Radhouane Nouicer warned Monday that these strikes on critical infrastructure “are putting lives at risk, worsening the humanitarian crisis, and violating basic human rights.”

On Thursday, Mr. Dujarric reported that attacks in Khartoum state have triggered a total electricity blackout, disrupting access to clean water and healthcare amid rising food prices and cholera outbreaks.

The blackout has exacerbated the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

Mr. Dujarric also noted that ongoing insecurity displaced 47,000 people from Khiwai and Nuhud in West Kordofan this month, while another 1,000 were displaced this week from Abu Shouk camp and El Fasher in North Darfur.

At the Arab League Summit in Iraq over the weekend, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent multilateral action to end “appalling violence, famine and mass displacement,” and met with African Union leaders to encourage a push for a ceasefire.

Emergency relief funds released for DR Congo

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated new funds to crisis situations, from Afghanistan to Zambia.

On Wednesday, CERF made $750,000 available to support cholera response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.

The emergency funds will enable the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and partners to deliver critical aid, including timely cholera detection and response, medical treatment, risk communication, and community engagement.

In addition, CERF allocated $10 million to help more than 270,0000 people in vulnerable communities across South Sudan, where the threat of renewed civil war looms.

Ahead of the rainy season, CERF’s life-saving aid will notably target communities who have been impacted by overlapping crises, especially conflict and displacement in the states of Jonglei and Upper Nile.

CERF also allocated $9.5 million to support climate action initiatives in eight countries: Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Venezuela, and Zambia.

© UNICEF/Jospin Benekire

A UNICEF-supported cholera team add chlorine to water collected from a reservoir in Goma, in the DR Congo.

 

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World News in Brief: Terror-crime link alarm, child detention in Australia, judiciary in Maldives, Protection of Civilians Week

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In recent years, criminal and terrorist groups have seized “every” opportunity afforded by growing instability to “entrench, expand, and escalate,” said Ghada Waly, in her opening remarks to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, in Vienna.

Challenges such as human and drug trafficking, smuggling of cultural and commercial goods, and environmental crimes are on the agenda during the four-day conference which focuses on “evolving and emerging” forms of organised crime.

Emerging threats

The world faces a “fundamental challenge to security, prosperity, and the rule of law,” the Executive Director said, with the link between criminal and terrorist groups becoming a growing concern.

While new technology serves as an enabler for criminal networks, justice systems around the world are being “starved” of the resources and conditions they need to provide equal access to justice.

She said, with criminal threats evolving, it was “certainly not the time to scale back global investment in crime prevention and criminal justice, both politically and financially,” emphasising the importance of multilateral cooperation.

Australia justice system in spotlight over child offenders’ reform

To Australia, where top independent rights experts have expressed concern at proposed legal reforms that could increase penalties for children.

In most Australian states, criminal responsibility begins at 10, allowing youngsters to be incarcerated for a wide range of crimes, if convicted.

Already, disproportionately large numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continue to be jailed in Australia, according to rights experts Jill Edwards and Albert Barume.

The Special Rapporteurs – who are appointed by and report to the Human Rights Council – have insisted that “many new or proposed” laws across the country are incompatible with rights of the child.

Queensland crackdown

These include the so-called “Adult crime, Adult time” legal reform in the state of Queensland.

If adopted later this week, it could result in children serving longer jail time for dozens of criminal offences.

“The first goal should always be keeping children out of prison,” the rights experts said. They emphasised the excessive impact of the Queensland bill on indigenous children and the risk of creating “a future under-class of Australians”.

Aerial view of Malé, the capital of the Maldives.

Maldives’ dismissal of Supreme Court judges raises concern, UN rights office warns

The UN human rights office warned Monday that the dismissal by the Maldives authorities of two Supreme Court justices could jeopardise the independence of the judiciary.

The South Asian island nation launched probes into both judges in February 2025.

At the same time, the Maldives’ parliament adopted a bill to reduce the size of the Supreme Court bench from seven to five judges.

A third Supreme Court justice also resigned, while a fourth judge – the Chief Justice – has since retired.

The investigation against the judges raises questions about how it was conducted, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said in a statement.

Judicial independence

“We remind the authorities of their commitment to maintain and protect an independent judiciary, in line with the Maldives’ Constitution and international human rights obligations,” said OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

“Checks and balances between the different branches of the State, including a strong and independent judiciary, play a vital role in ensuring fidelity to the rule of law by all branches of Government and the effective protection of human rights,” Mr. Laurence added.

Previously, independent rights expert Margaret Satterthwaite expressed concern about reports that lawyers for the Maldives Supreme Court justices who were under investigation “were not given the opportunity to speak at the disciplinary proceedings and that these were not public”.

Ms. Satterthwaite reports to the Human Rights Council on the independence of judges and lawyers; she is not a UN staff member.

Protection of Civilians week will work to address ‘culture of impunity’

Over 50,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. In Sudan, the figure is around 18,000 in the past two years – and in Ukraine, the total is 12,000, since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

During Protection of Civilians Week, from 19 to 23 May, these preventable deaths and displacements will be the focus as the United Nations, its Member States and civil society affiliates gather to discuss ways of preventing future armed conflicts.

The eighth annual PoC Week – which is coordinated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Switzerland, the Centre for Civilians in Conflict, and the International Committee of the Red Cross – will focus on the theme of “Tools to Further the Protection of Civilians.”

International guarantees, national violations

International humanitarian and human rights law establishes clear guidelines which protect civilians during armed conflicts.

However, OCHA noted that increasingly there is a “culture of impunity” surrounding the enforcement of these laws, with disregard for them spreading and the application of them increasingly politicised.

“Despite clear protections under international humanitarian and human rights law, civilians continue to suffer the brunt of conflict,” OCHA said, outlining the week ahead.

This is particularly concerning given that civilian deaths have been increasing. In the past decade, the world has experienced a surge in armed conflicts, disrupting what had previously been a 20-year decline.

Between 2022 and 2023, there was a 72 per cent increase in the number of civilian deaths according to UN estimates.

Throughout the week, individual member state missions are also hosting a variety of informal consultations. The calendar for the week is here.

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World News in Brief: Russia-Ukraine talks, Sudan exodus worsens, Colombia displacement rises

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Delegations met in Istanbul for the first direct negotiations in three years, including on a potential ceasefire and large-scale prisoner exchange.

The UN acknowledged the important role of Türkiye and the United States in facilitating the talks, said Stephanie Tremblay, a spokesperson for the global body in New York.

“We hope this process will lead to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, which would serve as a critical step towards creating the conditions for a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions,” she said.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the talks marked the first time the parties have met since the early months of the war.

Sudan exodus: Worst situation in decades, UN refugee agency warns

Tens of thousands of refugees fleeing escalating violence in Sudan continue to escape to Chad at speeds not seen since the start of the conflict two years ago, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday.

Many others remain trapped by heavy fighting between government and paramilitary forces.

UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun told UN News that 20,000 Sudanese refugees are arriving each week in eastern Chad and more than 70 per cent are victims of serious human rights violations during their journey, including assault, extortion and sexual violence.

She said the head of UNHCR’s office there has characterized this as “the worst situation he has encountered in his entire decades of career as humanitarian.”

One in two refugees who spoke to the UN agency said that they had relatives “trapped in Sudan” because they have no transport and were afraid of arbitrary arrest or forced recruitment.

A displaced family at a temporary shelter in Catatumbo, Colombia.

Over 66,000 Colombians displaced since January 

More than 66,000 people in Colombia have been newly displaced since mid-January due to fighting between two non-State armed groups, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.

This represents a 28 per cent increase compared to the number of Colombians displaced in the entirety of last year.  

Moreover, at the end of 2024, 7.3 million people remained displaced within the country due to violence or conflict – the third largest number outside of Sudan and Syria.

In February, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $3.8 million to support new displacements in Colombia. UN aid agencies have been working to distribute this aid, especially in Catatumbo which has been hardest hit by the violence.  

However, the UN estimates that humanitarians will need $342 million to fully meet the growing needs. So far, they have received only 14 per cent of this money.  

The recent deadly violence in Colombia’s Catatumbo region has highlighted the ongoing challenges in consolidating peace, eight years after the signing of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, t

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World News in Brief: Sudan refugees, aid for Syrian returnees, MERS alert in Saudi Arabia, Venezuela urged to end secret detentions

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The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported on Wednesday that most of the new arrivals are women and children.

Many have come from Zamzam camp and the city of El Fasher, locations targeted by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, who’ve been fighting forces of the military government for more than two years.

In Chad, the high numbers of those arriving are putting significant strain on overwhelmed resources.

Exhausted and victimised

Aid teams say that many refugees arrive exhausted after walking for days because they are unable to afford transport.

They report being victims of targeted attacks, looting and sexual violence.

Numerous children have been injured, families separated, and others remain missing, the refugee agency said.

Immediate needs in Chad include shelter, food, medical care and psychological support but the $409 million refugee response appeal is only 20 per cent funded.

Syria’s returnees desperately need help to start over

Syrians trying to rebuild their lives in their war-torn country urgently need the support of the rest of the world to help them start again, UN aid agencies said on Wednesday.

Hopes rose this week in Damascus following Donald Trump’s move to end punitive sanctions – but after more than 13 years of civil war that ended with the fall of the Assad regime last December, many communities today face a range of basic problems.

These include unreliable access to electricity, clean water and healthcare.

Records destroyed

The destruction of public records is also preventing returnees from accessing essential services or claiming housing and land rights, according to the UN migration agency, IOM.

Its Director-General, Amy Pope, insisted Syrians were resilient and innovative but that they needed help, now. “Enabling (them) to return to a country that is on the path to stability and progress is critical for the country’s future,” she insisted.

A new IOM report from more than 1,100 communities across Syria found that work is scarce, partly because farming and markets are still struggling to recover.

Shelter reconstruction is also needed urgently, while unresolved property issues continue to prevent people from rejoining their communities.

Since January 2024, the UN agency has recorded more than 1.3 million returnees previously displaced within Syria, in addition to nearly 730,000 arrivals from abroad.

WHO issues warning over deadly MERS outbreak in Saudi Arabia

A recent outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia has raised concerns after two people died from the disease between March and April.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated guidelines to help contain the outbreak, which has seen nine confirmed cases – seven of them in the capital, Riyadh. Several of those infected were healthcare workers who caught the virus from a patient.

MERS is caused by a zoonotic coronavirus, from the same family of viruses as COVID-19. While WHO estimates the fatality rate to be around 36 per cent, the true figure may be lower, as mild cases often go undiagnosed.

Despite the recent cases, the risk of wider spread remains moderate at both the regional and global levels, according to WHO.

MERS is primarily carried by dromedary camels and can be passed to humans through direct or indirect contact with infected animals.

Human-to-human transmission usually happens in healthcare settings, through respiratory droplets or close contact.

No vaccine, no cure

Much like COVID-19, MERS can range from no symptoms at all to severe respiratory illness, including acute respiratory distress — and in some cases, death. There’s currently no vaccine or specific treatment.

To stop the virus from spreading, WHO urges hospitals and clinics to step up infection prevention and control measures, especially where suspected cases are being treated.

Since MERS was first identified in 2012, it has caused 858 deaths across 27 countries in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Call for Venezuela to end secret detention of political opponents

Top independent human rights experts have urged the Venezuelan authorities to stop the reported practice of holding political opponents incommunicado.

In an alert on Wednesday, they insisted that these “targeted detentions” were illegal and amounted to enforced disappearance, a major human rights violation if proved and potentially an international crime.

They maintained that using secret detention was a deliberate strategy by the State “to silence opposition figures…and to instill fear among the population”.

Lack of legal protection

The mission pointed to a widespread lack of “effective judicial protection” for civil society in Venezuela and accused State security forces of colluding with the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The services allegedly responsible for detentions include the national intelligence service, the national guard and military counterintelligence.

The mission’s independent rights experts also maintained that criminal courts and the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice were also “complicit” by ensuring that the alleged crimes went unpunished.

The Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela was created by the Human Rights Council in 2019; its members are not UN staff and they work in an independent capacity.

World News in Brief: Sudan aid update, child migrant deaths at sea, nursing shortages, invasive pest scourge

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Port Sudan – the main entry point for humanitarian supplies and personnel into the country – came under attack for the ninth consecutive day. As the UN’s main humanitarian hub in Sudan, drone strikes on the coastal city have gravely impacted aid delivery.

Nonetheless, UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flights were able to resume on 8 May, providing a continuation of a key humanitarian lifeline as the war between rival militaries for control of Sudan continues, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed.

Targeting of civilian infrastructure has sparked panic and displacement. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported last week that 600 people were displaced within Port Sudan alone because of the attacks.

Catastrophic situation in North Darfur

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, warned on Sunday that the situation in the North Darfur camps of Abou Shouk “is catastrophic.”

Although the UN and its partners continue to scale up their humanitarian response, both camps remain, in effect, cut off from aid.

Ms Nkweta-Salami issued an urgent call for a ceasefire and humanitarian pauses to allow life-saving deliveries to resume.

Call for action after deaths of migrant children at sea

Two young children, aged 3 and 4, have died from dehydration aboard a rubber dinghy found adrift in the central Mediterranean, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday.

The vessel, which departed Libya carrying 62 migrants including several children, had reportedly been stranded for days after its engine failed.

Refugees and migrants in a wooden boat are rescued near the Italian island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean Sea.

According to survivors, the children had died nearly a day before rescuers arrived.

One additional passenger is believed to have drowned earlier in the journey. Many others onboard suffered severe chemical burns caused by contact with a mixture of seawater and spilled fuel – injuries which require urgent medical attention.

All surviving passengers were eventually rescued and transferred to Lampedusa by the Italian coast guard.

‘Devastating reminder’

Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, called the incident “another devastating reminder” of the deadly risks migrants face.

She stressed the need for coordinated search and rescue missions, and greater investment in support services for migrant families.

“The central Mediterranean remains one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world,” Ms. De Dominicis said. “Without immediate action, more lives will continue to be lost.”

UNICEF continues to call on governments to meet their obligations under international law and protect vulnerable children seeking safety.

Nursing workforce grows, but deep inequalities persist worldwide

The number of nurses around the world has increased in recent years, but a new UN report published on Monday shows that many countries and regions still face serious shortages, highlighting ongoing inequalities in access to nursing care.

Low-income countries are particularly affected, struggling with too few nurses to meet the needs of their growing populations, said the UN World Health Organization (WHO) which crunched the data.

Poor prospects at home

While these countries are training new nurses at a faster rate than wealthier nations, challenges such as rapid population growth and limited job opportunities are making it hard to close the gap, WHO added.

These imbalances in where nurses are working mean that millions still don’t have access to basic health services.

This is holding back efforts to achieve universal health coverage, protect global health, and meet international development goals linked to health.

“We cannot ignore the inequalities that mark the global nursing landscape,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

WHO is urging governments to create more nursing jobs and ensure they are fairly distributed, especially in communities where healthcare services are lacking.

Plant pests continue to threaten global food supplies

Protecting crops from pests is key to ensuring everyone has enough to eat, said the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Monday, who stressed that access to food is a basic human right.

Each year, around 40 per cent of the world’s crops are lost to plant pests and diseases, causing over $220 billion in economic damage.

Invasive pests turn up the heat

Migratory pests like locusts and armyworms are among the biggest threats, especially in regions already hit hard by conflict and climate change.

Countries in the Near East and North Africa – including Algeria, Libya and Tunisia – are currently dealing with a serious outbreak of desert locusts that began in the Sahel.

These insects destroy crops and pastureland, putting food supplies for both people and animals at risk, and threatening the survival of farming communities.

“No country can face these challenges alone,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, at a high-level conference in Italy marking the International Day of Plant Health.

He called for greater international cooperation and more funding to tackle cross-border pests and diseases.

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Guterres welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire | UN News

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The UN chief’s statement, released on Saturday, came shortly after news broke of a decision by the two countries to de-escalate a situation that has caused widespread alarm in recent days.

Tensions had been steadily raising, after a group of gunmen fired on tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April, killing at least 26 and injuring scores more. India and Pakistan both administer parts of the Himalayan region but claim the territory in its entirety, and it has been a scene of unrest for decades.

In the past week, fears grew of an outright military confrontation, and the UN expressed deep concern over deteriorating relations between the two South Asian neighbours, with Mr. Guterres telling journalists that tensions were higher than they had been in years, and reiterating calls for maximum restraint.

There were reports of jubilation in both India and Pakistan at news of the ceasefire, which is believed to be the result of talks mediated by the US, and was announced by representatives of all three countries on social media platforms. However, there have since been reports of skirmishes, including drone attacks.

The Secretary-General welcomed the ceasefire agreement as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions, and said that he hopes the agreement will “contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries.”

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World News in Brief: ‘Massive’ needs in Sudan, DR Congo aid shortfall, support for Congolese refugees and Angola cholera relief

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The UN estimates that in the past few weeks, over 330,000 people have fled into Tawila after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched violent attacks in the Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps and in El Fasher, the regional capital. 

Over 100,000 people also remain trapped in El Fasher. 

‘Massive’ humanitarian needs

Since the beginning of the civil war in Sudan in April 2023, over 18,000 civilians have been killed and over 13 million have been forced from their homes. 

According to UN estimates, over 30.4 million Sudanese are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. 

The World Food Programme (WFP) has provided food assistance to over 300,000 people from the Zamzam displacement camp. Yet, UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Tom Fletcher noted on Thursday that needs remain “massive” in the region. 

“Our humanitarian colleagues also underscore the urgent need for stepped-up, flexible funding to sustain and expand life-saving support for people in need in North Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, briefing reporters on Friday. 

However, with ongoing drone strikes in Port Sudan, the main entry point for humanitarian supplies, and increasing violence in North Darfur, providing life-saving assistance has become increasingly difficult. 

“We call once again on all parties to facilitate safe, unhindered and sustained access to the area, via all necessary routes,” Mr. Haq said. 

© UNICEF/Jospin Benekire

A displaced family sit in front of their makeshift shelter in Goma, North Kivu province, DR Congo.

DR Congo: Dire impact of funding cuts amidst cholera outbreak   

Funding shortfalls have forced the humanitarian community to re-prioritise its response plan to alleviate the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on Friday. 

Nearly seven million people have already been forcibly displaced by violence since advances by M23 rebels earlier this year.

While the 2025 UN humanitarian plan aims to provide life-saving interventions to 11 million people across the DRC at a cost of $2.5 billion, only $233 million has been received so far. 

Despite escalating needs in the wake of the crisis in the east of the country, “that’s only half the amount we had secured by this time last year,” Farhan Haq told journalists in New York.

Congolese health authorities are facing shortages of medical supplies as the DRC is now facing a cholera outbreak in six provinces.

OCHA is calling for greater protection of civilians in conflict-affected areas, and more support to prevent the collapse of essential services and address the root causes of the crisis.

UN fund allocates over $4 million to support Congolese refugees, Angola cholera outbreak

Two new allocations from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will support Congolese refugees in Uganda and efforts to combat a deadly cholera outbreak in Angola. 

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher released the funding on Friday.

More than 60,000 people have fled violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for neighbouring Uganda since January.

The first allocation, for $2.5 million, will allow the UN and partners to provide life-saving assistance to over 40,000 refugees, including clean drinking water, food, healthcare and nutrition support.

The $1.8 million CERF contribution in Angola will support the urgent response to the country’s worst cholera outbreak in two decades.

Since the beginning of the year, the outbreak has spread to 17 out of 21 provinces, with more than 18,000 cases and 586 deaths reported as of 7 May. 

The funding will go towards scaling up the response and helping to prevent further spread of the disease. 

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World News in Brief: South Sudan urged to avoid slide to war, Türk calls on EU not to weaken landmark law, Ukraine and Mali updates

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The Quartet is calling on the country’s leaders to end hostilities and return to dialogue to fully implement the 2018 peace agreement known as the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence in 2011 but soon descended into a brutal civil war. A 2018 peace agreement has held together but now threatens to fully unwind between the president and his vice presidential rival.

Regional pressure

In recent weeks, the Quartet has observed air and ground attacks that have led to loss of life, the destruction of homes, and the displacement of civilians. Humanitarian facilities have also been targeted, while hate speech and ethnic tensions are on the rise.

The Quartet welcomed a recent joint visit by the African Union and IGAD to South Sudan as a sign of regional support for peace. It also called on all sides to cooperate with ceasefire monitors investigating recent violence.

South Sudan’s leaders must commit to inclusive dialogue, the release of political detainees, and renewed efforts to carry out the peace deal, the Quartet stressed.

A return to war would betray the people’s hope for peace and stability, they warned. Only a political solution can ensure free and fair elections at the end of the current transitional period.

UN rights chief urges EU not to weaken landmark corporate responsibility law

UN human rights chief Volker Türk has called on the European Union to protect a key law that holds large companies accountable for human rights and environmental harm.

The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), adopted last year, requires businesses to identify and address any negative impact their activities may have on people or the planet.

But changes now being discussed in Brussels as part of a broader reform package could weaken the law, Mr. Türk warned on Wednesday.

“The CSDDD, by far the most ambitious business and human rights regulatory initiative anywhere in the world, has rightly been welcomed by companies, policy makers, civil society, and national human rights institutions alike,” he said.

“A large number of businesses have already taken steps to ensure they comply with it.”

Detailed review

UN human rights office, OHCHR, has published a detailed review of the EU proposal, pointing to ways it could undermine this groundbreaking directive.

Mr. Türk urged lawmakers to keep the law in line with global standards, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

“While some streamlining… could be advantageous, it would be counterproductive to water down its alignment with international standards,” he said.

April deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since September

April was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since September 2024, with at least 209 people killed and 1,146 injured, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on Wednesday.

In its monthly update, the Mission said that 97 per cent of casualties occurred in areas controlled by Ukraine, with nearly half caused by missile and loitering munitions attacks by Russian forces.

“Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and Kharkiv all endured devastating attacks,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU. “The sharp rise in casualties was mainly due to the intensified use of ballistic missiles in major cities.”

Among the deadliest incidents:

  • On 4 April, a missile strike on Kryvyi Rih killed 20 civilians and injured 63.
  • On Palm Sunday (13 April), two missiles hit Sumy, killing at least 31 and injuring 105.
  • A 24 April attack on Kyiv killed 11 and injured 81.

Children were especially affected. At least 19 were killed and 78 injured in April – the highest monthly total since June 2022.

The wave of attacks continued into May, with cities including Kharkiv, Odesa and Kyiv again coming under fire.

UN experts raise alarm over Mali’s suspension of political parties

Independent UN human rights experts have strongly criticised Mali’s military authorities for suspending all political parties and activities, calling the move a clear violation of basic rights.

© MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko

A detention centre in Bamako, Mali. (file)

The decision, announced on 7 May via state television, halts political activity “until further notice.” The junta, which took power following coups in 2020 and 2021, said the suspension was necessary to maintain public order.

The three UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts described it as a direct violation of human rights and called for the order’s immediate repeal.

They also called on the National Transitional Council to strike down a bill introduced on 30 April, which repealed legislation governing how political parties operate.

“If passed into law, the 30 April bill will place Mali in contravention of its human rights obligations, notably on freedoms of association and expression,” the experts stressed.”

Protests

In response to the 30 April bill, opposition parties organised a pro-democracy rally in the capital Bamako on 3 May which drew hundreds of demonstrators. The parties reportedly demanded a timeline to end military rule and a return to constitutional order.

Another protest is planned for Friday to oppose the decree against political parties.

The experts said Malian authorities must work to counteract “the current climate of suppression of the civic space”.

“The right to peacefully assembly is essential to the health of a vibrant political community,” the experts said. “The Malian Transitional authorities must scrupulously respect it and abstain from acts of intimidation and repression that risk the physical integrity and the rights of demonstrators.”

Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts are appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. They serve in their individual capacity, independent of the UN system and national governments. They are not UN staff and draw no salary

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World News in Brief: Deadly attacks in South Sudan and Ukraine, World Court rejects Sudan case, lifesaving aid in Yemen

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According to the UN relief coordination office (OCHA), the hospital in Old Fangak was struck early Saturday, killing seven civilians and injuring at least 20 more. The attack also destroyed vital supplies and forced the withdrawal of aid workers, leaving the town’s population without access to critical care.

“People in these areas are already battling flooding, food shortages and disease,” said Marie-Helene Verney, the UN’s acting Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan.

Too many lives at risk

“The destruction of critical health infrastructure and continued fighting puts innocent South Sudanese lives at risk.”

The bombing follows a wave of similar attacks in Upper Nile state, where health facilities in Ulang and Nasir have been targeted in recent months. The latest strike has heightened fears of renewed conflict as political and ethnic tensions rise nationwide.

The UN is now airlifting essential supplies to the area, but access remains limited. The violence has displaced over 130,000 people in the past two months, and aid agencies warn that South Sudan’s broader $1.7 billion humanitarian plan remains only 16 per cent funded.

Large scale attacks on densely populated cities across Ukraine

The UN’s top humanitarian official in Ukraine on Monday condemned a series of Russian strikes this weekend on densely populated towns and cities.

Between Friday and Monday, at least 12 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in attacks thar targeted Kharkiv, Kyiv and Cherkasy, and other regions in Ukraine.

These attacks also damaged homes, schools, a hospital and other civilian infrastructure, according to local authorities and partners, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists in New York.

In the aftermath of the strikes, “humanitarian organizations provided first aid, psychosocial support, emergency shelter kits, repair materials, meals and drinks,” Mr. Haq said.

In the Kharkiv region, a fire triggered by a strike near the city of Izium on Sunday, burned 85 hectares of land and damaged over a dozen buildings. There were no casualties reported, Mr. Haq added.

Meanwhile, UN agencies alongside partners reached 600,000 people so far this year with first aid, medical transport, primary care and mental health support, including at transit centres for displaced people.

An IOM-supported health worker in Yemen accesses medical supplies.

Yemen: UN delivers lifesaving medical supplies

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday delivered critical medical supplies to seven health facilities in Yemen, where a collapsing health system and chronic shortages continue to endanger millions.

With support from the Government of the United Kingdom, IOM shipments are reaching hospitals and clinics in Aden, Lahj, Shabwah, Al Bayda and Sana’a – facilities serving both migrants and local communities.

“Every day, our teams see the impact of empty medicine shelves and overwhelmed clinics, on families and entire communities,” said Abdusattor Esoev, head of IOM in Yemen.

“By delivering essential supplies and supporting frontline staff, we are not just responding to urgent needs – we are keeping health services running for those who have nowhere else to turn.”

Crisis on crisis

The intervention comes amid an alarming health crisis.

Nearly 20 million people in Yemen require medical assistance in 2025, but over half of the country’s health facilities are only partially functioning or have shut down altogether. Funding gaps have left 382 facilities unsupported, forcing many to close or drastically cut services.

IOM’s assistance includes essential medicines, surgical equipment and infection prevention tools, as well as infrastructure repairs and support for health workers.

For many in the strife-torn country, IOM-supported clinics remain the only source of free medical care.

ICJ rejects Sudan’s genocide case against UAE

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has rejected Sudan’s case accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of complicity in genocide in Darfur, citing a lack of jurisdiction.

In the decision, the UN’s top judicial body ruled on Monday by a vote of 14 to two that it could not proceed with the case brought by Sudan under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) and declined to impose any provisional measures, as Sudan had requested.

The Court also removed the case from its general list by a vote of nine to seven.

“Having come to the conclusion that it manifestly lacks jurisdiction, the Court is precluded from taking any position on the merits of the claims made by Sudan,” the ruling stated.

Complicity charge

Sudan had accused the UAE of backing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), alleging its support amounted to complicity in genocidal acts against the non-Arab Masalit population in West Darfur.

The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army has claimed thousands of lives and displaced over 12.7 million people since April 2023.

The Court noted that while it could not hear the case, all States remain bound by their obligations under the Genocide Convention.

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