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World News in Brief: Uganda’s refugee funding crisis, academic freedom tested in Serbia, rural resilience in Afghanistan

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Uganda has a progressive refugee policy which enables refugees to work and access public services. This coupled with its geographic proximity to crises has made it the continent’s largest refugee-hosting country.

“Emergency funding runs out in September. More children will die of malnutrition, more girls will fall victim to sexual violence, and families will be left without shelter or protection unless the world steps up,” said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s director for external relations.

UNHCR estimates that it costs $16 per refugee per month to provide essential services, but at this point, the agency will only be able to deliver $5 worth of aid each month.  

Funding missing

Most refugees are entering Uganda from war-torn Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – all countries which have been ravaged by protracted armed conflicts and acute food insecurity.  

These refugees are seeking shelter and life-saving aid, and many of them are children.  

In a recent visit to some of the refugee camps, Ms. Hyde met one 16-year-old girl who fled violence in South Sudan after losing her parents. She is now caring for her four younger siblings alone.  

“She dreams of going back to school, but survival is all she can think about,” Ms. Hyde said.  

Children like her depend on the aid which UNHCR and the Uganda government provide. But with only 25 per cent of the funding required, the aid is quickly disappearing.

“Uganda has opened its doors, its schools, and its health centers. This model can succeed, but it can’t do it alone,” Ms. Hyde said.  

A test of democratic resilience in Serbia as crackdown on protests continues

Independent human rights experts warned Monday that Serbia’s intensifying crackdown on protests and protestors — especially students, professors and civil society — violates international human rights and undermines democracy.  

The protests, which began in late 2024 in response to an infrastructural collapse which killed 16 people, have become a nationwide call for accountability, transparency and justice.

“What we are witnessing in Serbia is a systematic attempt to silence critical voices and dismantle the independence of academic institutions. This is not just a student protest — it is a test of human rights accountability and democratic resilience,” the experts said.  

Independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva to monitor and report on special human rights matters. They are independent of the UN system and any government.  

Renewed commitment  

Since the end of June, the experts said that they have observed increasingly violent repression of protests, including unlawful arrests, prolonged detention and smear and surveillance campaigns against individuals. Some protesters have reportedly been seriously injured.  

Educational institutions in particular have come under pressure with some universities slashing faculty salaries and some high school teachers have been threatened with disciplinary action for supporting the protesters.  

“Instead of listening to young people’s voices, the Government has chosen to punish them. This approach not only violates international human rights standards, but also, by its very nature, undermines the very foundation of a democratic society,” the experts said.

The experts called on the Serbian government to renew its commitment to human rights and justice, stressing that academic freedom and access to justice are pillars of democracy.

New programme in Afghanistan seeks to rebuild farmer resilience

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in concert with the United Kingdom, is launching a new agricultural resiliency programme in Afghanistan in the hopes of improving production and nutrition throughout the country.  

Resilient Agriculture Livelihoods (ReAL) hopes to reach over 150,000 people in all eight regions of the country by the end of next May. It will specifically target small-scale farmers, landless labourers, livestock keepers and women and girls.  

“Afghanistan’s farmers are extraordinarily resilient, but repeated climate and economic shocks are eroding this strength. This project lays down important pathways to help farmers rebuild that resilience,” said Richard Trenchard, the FAO representative in Afghanistan.

Agricultural cornerstone

The ReAL program will work to expand market access for farmers in addition to managing climate risks in a way that will promote sustainable land use and enable communities to not rely on humanitarian assistance long-term.  

Between 2022 and 2024, FAO reached over 30.3 million people in Afghanistan with emergency food relief and long-term resilience projects, work which helped to decrease the food insecurity crisis by half.  

“In a country where agriculture sustains most lives, this is a short-term investment with long-term impact,” said Mr. Trenchard. 

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Libya’s fragile peace tested again as new clashes roil Tripoli

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Clashes broke out earlier in the week across several districts of the Libyan capital, reportedly triggered by the killing of a prominent militia leader.

The fighting, which involved heavy weaponry in densely populated areas, forced hundreds of families to flee and placed severe strain on local hospitals.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all parties to take urgent steps to consolidate the ceasefire announced on Wednesday.

“The rapid nature of the escalation, which drew armed groups from outside the city and subjected heavily populated neighbourhoods to heavy artillery fire, was alarming,” his spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

“The Secretary-General reminds all parties of their obligation to protect civilians and calls on them to engage in serious dialogue in good faith to address the root causes of the conflict.”

Alarms raised

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) issued successive warnings throughout the week, calling the situation “deeply alarming” and urging an “immediate, unconditional ceasefire.”

“Attacking and damaging civilian infrastructure, physically harming civilians, and jeopardizing the lives and safety of the population may constitute crimes under international law,” the mission said on Wednesday, praising mediation efforts by elders and civil society leaders.

Years of fragmentation

Nearly 15 years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi and the emergence of rival administrations in 2014, the country remains divided, with the internationally recognised Government of National Unity (GNU) based in Tripoli in the northwest and the Government of National Stability (GNS) in Benghazi in the east.

Competition over Libya’s vast oil wealth further complicates the situation. Though the country produces more than a million barrels a day, the living conditions of ordinary Libyans have seen little improvement.

Accountability for atrocities

In New York on Thursday the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that its investigation into alleged war crimes in Libya has entered a new phase, following increased cooperation by authorities there.

Briefing the UN Security Council from The Hague, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan described “an unprecedented six months of dynamism,” citing the January arrest of Osama Elmasry Najim, a commander in the now-dissolved Special Deterrence Force (RADA), and his controversial return to Libya.

Mr. Khan briefed Ambassadors via videolink after the United States imposed punitive sanctions on the court including senior personnel, which threaten the prosecutor and others with arrest if they travel to the US. The US made the order in response to the ICC issuing arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister and former defence minister, last November.

Mr. Najim was arrested by Italian authorities based on an ICC warrant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to abuses at Metiga Prison.

However, his return was a matter of deep concern, said Mr. Khan.

New ‘rule of law’ promises accountability

“There was real dismay and disappointment among victims that Mr. Njeem was returned to the scene of the alleged crimes,” Mr. Khan said.

Despite that setback, he said that the arrest warrant had sent “shockwaves” through Libyan militias and alleged perpetrators in Libya, signalling a growing awareness that “the rule of law has entered the territory of Libya.”

He confirmed that more arrest warrants are being pursued, and that the ICC has responded to a request for assistance from the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom as part of its own investigation into Mr. Njeem.

“There is a black box of suffering in Libya,” he told ambassadors. “We will manage to break it open.”

The Security Council meeting on the situation in Libya.

Libya grants ICC jurisdiction

In another major development, Libya formally submitted a declaration to the ICC under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, granting the court jurisdiction over crimes committed on Libyan soil from 2011 to 2027.

Mr. Khan described this as a “new chapter” in accountability efforts and confirmed that the investigation phase is expected to conclude by early 2026.

About the ICC

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent judicial body established under the Rome Statute, adopted in 1998 and in force since 2002.

Although not part of the United Nations, the ICC works closely with it under a cooperative framework. The situation in Libya was first referred to the ICC by the UN Security Council in 2011 through resolution 1970.

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DRDO, Indian Army test successfully Surface to Air Missiles

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Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army have successfully completed six flight-tests of Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system from Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur off the Odisha coast. The flight tests were conducted as part of evaluation trials by the Indian Army.

The flight-tests were carried out against high-speed aerial targets mimicking various types of threats to evaluate the capability of the weapon systems under different scenarios, including long range medium altitude, short range, high altitude manoeuvring target, low radar signature with receding & crossing target and salvo launch with two missiles fired in quick succession. The system performance was also evaluated under day and night operation scenarios.

During these tests, all the mission objectives were met establishing pin-point accuracy of the weapon system with state-of-the-art guidance and control algorithms including warhead chain. The performance of the system has been confirmed from the data captured by a number of Range instruments like Telemetry, Radar and Electro Optical Tracking Systems (EOTS) deployed by ITR. Senior officials from DRDO and the Indian Army participated in the launches.

These tests were conducted in the final deployment configuration consisting of all indigenously-developed sub-systems, including the missile with indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, mobile launcher, fully automated command and control system, surveillance and multi-function Radars. The uniqueness of the QRSAM weapon system is that it can operate on the move with search and track capability & fire on short halt. This has been proven during the mobility trials conducted earlier.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has complimented DRDO and Indian Army on the successful flight trials. He exuded confidence that the QRSAM weapon system will be an excellent force multiplier for the Armed Forces.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO has congratulated the teams associated with the successful series of trials and said that the system is now ready for induction into the Indian Army.

Finally, Trump tested for coronavirus, result negative

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US President Donald Trump has undergone the test for coronavirus and tested negative, said the president’s personal physician Saturday night after Trump revealed that he too had undergone the test and his temperature was “totally normal.”

The coronavirus has already infected more than 2,200 people in the US and caused 50 deaths. Trump, 73, has come under radar ever since he met with at least three visitors from Brazil who have since tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the exposure by Trump to many visitors and aides, the White House has begun conducting temperature checks on all visitors, including reporters who attend White House briefing. On Saturday, one reporter with high temperature was not allowed.

Ignoring the advice to shun handshake, Trump said, “It almost becomes a habit. People come up to me, they shake hands, they put their hand out, it’s sort of a natural reflex. We’re all getting out of it. All of us have that problem.” However, he quickly said, “Shaking hands is not a great thing to be doing right now, I agree.”

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington DC said late Friday that the country’s chargé d’affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Trump’s dinner table last week while a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who took a photo with Trump and another person who attended a campaign fundraiser with the president too found to be affected with the novel coronavirus

White House said its occupants don’t need to be tested or isolate themselves unless the symptoms appear while experts insist that the virus can be spread even by people who are asymptomatic. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines include washing hands regularly and keeping a distance of at least 1.5-meter distance from people.

Meanwhile, Trump has extended the new travel ban to Britain, bringing the total number of US travel-restricted countries in Europe to 28.

NASA Successfully Tests Mini Methane Sensor for Future Mars Exploration

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NASA researchers have developed a mini drone-like methane sensor that can fly and successfully tested it on a Vertical Take-off and Landing like any small unmanned aerial system (sUAS). The sensor, developed by JPL for use on Mars, will be used to detect methane with much higher sensitivity than previously available, especially in NASA’s next mission to Mars in 2018.

The tests were conducted in central California at the Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve, in partnership with Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI). The jointly conducted test of NASA’s Open Path Laser Spectrometer (OPLS) sensor also helps to detect methane in parts per billion by volume could help the pipeline industry more accurately pinpoint small methane leaks.

“These tests mark the latest chapter in the development of what we believe will eventually be a universal methane monitoring system for detecting fugitive natural-gas emissions and contributing to studies of climate change,” said Lance Christensen, OPLS principal investigator at JPL.

Researchers from JPL and the Mechatronics, Embedded Systems and Automation (MESA) Lab at the University of California, Merced, conducted the flight tests in late February. They flew a small unmanned aerial system equipped with the OPLS sensor at various distances from methane-emitting gas sources. Tests were done in a controlled setting to test the accuracy and robustness of the system, said NASA.

Next stage of testing later this year will feature a fixed-wing UAS, which can fly longer and farther so as to monitor natural-gas transmission pipeline systems, which are often hundreds of miles long and can be located in rural or remote areas.

A JPL mini methane gas sensor is flight tested on a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) under a project to improve energy pipeline industry safety. The sensor enables methane detection with higher sensitivity than previously available for the industry in hand-carried or sUAS-deployable instruments.Credit: University of California, Merced.