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

According to the latest UN-backed IPC Food Security Phase Classification report, around 874,000 people are facing crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity between November 2025 and March 2026.  Certain districts and areas have been more severely affected, particularly parts of Baalbek and El Hermel, Akkar, Baabda, Zahle, Saida, Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, El Nabatieh, Tyre, […]

UNHCR urges Pakistan to stop forced returns of Afghan refugees

UNHCR urges Pakistan to stop forced returns of Afghan refugees

He expressed particular concern over the plight of women and girls sent back to Afghanistan, which has been under Taliban rule for four years. On 31 July, Pakistan confirmed that Afghan refugees would be deported under an ongoing ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’.  UNHCR has received reports of arrests and detention of Afghans across the country, […]

UNHCR forced to make deep cuts, despite rising needs worldwide

UNHCR forced to make deep cuts, despite rising needs worldwide

This will entail cutting just under half of all senior positions at the agency’s Geneva headquarters and regional bureaux.  Around 3,500 permanent staff posts have been discontinued, hundreds of temporary staff positions have been terminated, and some offices have been downsized or closed worldwide. According to the report, decisions on where to cut costs were […]

Displacement doubles while funding shrinks, warns UNHCR

Displacement doubles while funding shrinks, warns UNHCR

In December last year, the overthrow of the Assad regime by opposition forces reignited hope that most Syrians could see home again soon. As of May, 500,000 refugees and 1.2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) returned to their areas of origin. But that’s not the only reason Syria is no longer the largest displacement crisis […]

UNHCR underscores plight of Rohingya refugees amid alarming reports

UNHCR underscores plight of Rohingya refugees amid alarming reports

According to reports, one boat carrying 267 people from Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Rakhine State in Myanmar, sank on 9 May, with only 66 survivors, UNHCR said.  The following day, a second boat fleeing with 247 people capsized, leaving just 21 survivors. In a separate incident, reports indicate that on 14 May, a third […]

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans forced back into danger, says UNHCR

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans forced back into danger, says UNHCR

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), over 250,000 Afghans returned in April alone – among them, 96,000 who were forcibly deported. The agency voiced particular alarm over the fate of women and girls, who face increasing repression under Taliban rule. The large-scale returns are putting even greater pressure on already stretched humanitarian resources and […]

Slovenia to Resettle 60 Syrian Refugees from Turkey

Slovenia will implement its first ever refugee resettlement programme with the support of IOM, the UN Migration Agency, by resettling 60 Syrian refugees from Turkey to Slovenia in 2018. The new programme officially came into effect after the signing of a Framework Agreement between IOM and the Slovenian government on Thursday (12/04). “The resettlement agreement […]