Israeli strike in Doha marks ‘alarming escalation’, warns top UN official, in call to uphold diplomatic norms

Israeli strike in Doha marks ‘alarming escalation’, warns top UN official, in call to uphold diplomatic norms

Rosemary DiCarlo described Tuesday’s strike in a residential area of the Qatari capital – which targeted Hamas’s political leadership killing several affiliates along with a Qatari security officer – as potentially opening a “new and perilous chapter in this devastating conflict, seriously threatening regional peace and stability.” The attack occurred on 9 September in residential […]

Child obesity level surpasses underweight cases worldwide for the first time, UNICEF warns

Child obesity level surpasses underweight cases worldwide for the first time, UNICEF warns

One in 10 children aged 5 to 19 – 188 million worldwide – are now living with obesity, placing them at heightened risk of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, heart conditions, and certain cancers. “When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. […]

Window to prevent famine spreading in Gaza is ‘closing fast’, UN warns

Window to prevent famine spreading in Gaza is ‘closing fast’, UN warns

Tom Fletcher’s statement amid what he described as “a massive military offensive” by Israeli forces against Palestinians in Gaza City, and the failure of ceasefire negotiations with Hamas militants. By the end of September famine will likely have spread into Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, he said, unless there is a huge influx of […]

The ‘unthinkable’ is underway in Gaza City, UNICEF warns

The ‘unthinkable’ is underway in Gaza City, UNICEF warns

Tess Ingram, Communication Manager for UNICEF’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, recently spent nine days there, describing it as “a city of fear, flight and funerals.”    “The last refuge for families in the northern Gaza Strip is fast becoming a place where childhood cannot survive,” she said, speaking from the enclave to journalists […]

‘The people of Haiti are in a perfect storm of suffering,’ warns UN chief

‘The people of Haiti are in a perfect storm of suffering,’ warns UN chief

Six million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, while 1.3 million people – half of them children – having been forced to flee their homes, he added. ‘Shamefully overlooked’ Haiti now ranks among the five hunger hotspots worldwide that are of “highest concern,” said the UN chief. Yet it remains the world’s least funded […]

SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Haiti ‘shamefully overlooked’, warns Guterres

SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Haiti ‘shamefully overlooked’, warns Guterres

Haitians are enduring a “perfect storm of suffering” the UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Thursday as gang violence continues to paralyse daily life across the island. Around 1.3 million people – half of them children – have fled their homes and six million are relying on humanitarian assistance. Follow our live Meetings Coverage as […]

UN warns Gaza crisis could worsen without safe, unrestricted aid flow

UN warns Gaza crisis could worsen without safe, unrestricted aid flow

In his regular daily briefing, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted that ongoing delays, bottlenecks at holding points and interference in the loading process at crossing platforms are undermining efforts to collect and distribute supplies to those in need. “It is imperative that the UN and its humanitarian partners are enabled to deliver aid at scale, […]

Aid blockade deepens Gaza crisis as malnutrition deaths rise, warns UNRWA

Aid blockade deepens Gaza crisis as malnutrition deaths rise, warns UNRWA

“For over 150 days, not a single truck from UNRWA has been permitted to deliver food, medicine or other essentials into Gaza,” the agency said on Friday. “This denial of access is costing lives every single day.” Nearly 100 children dead from malnutrition According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, cited by the UN, at least […]

‘The real challenge is still ahead’: UN warns on Afghan returnees

‘The real challenge is still ahead’: UN warns on Afghan returnees

“The real challenge is still ahead of us,” Stephanie Loose, Programme Manager in Afghanistan, told journalists in Geneva on Friday. “We’re speaking about the reintegration of people who’ve lost their homes, who’ve lost their assets and also their hope.”  Millions on the move Afghanistan is currently facing an unprecedented returnee crisis.  Since September 2023, some […]

Abuse during and after childbirth persists globally, WHO warns

Abuse during and after childbirth persists globally, WHO warns

Over the past decade, a growing body of evidence has highlighted the widespread impact of mistreatment and the necessity of placing respectful care at the centre of all maternal and newborn health strategies.   WHO’s Human Reproduction Programme (HRP), and partners released a new compendium on Wednesday aimed at ending mistreatment and promoting respectful maternal […]

Afghan women returnees face rising risks, UN warns

Afghan women returnees face rising risks, UN warns

UN Women – which champions gender empowerment and equality – alongside the international humanitarian agency CARE International and partners, issued the call in a report published on Thursday that also highlights the key challenges and needs of women aid workers assisting the returnees. The Gender Alert comes amid a surge in returnees to Afghanistan, where […]

In Myanmar, conflict and floods collide as UN warns of deepening crisis

In Myanmar, conflict and floods collide as UN warns of deepening crisis

Farhan Haq, UN Deputy Spokesperson, stressed the need for unimpeded relief operations and a peaceful path out of crisis. “The UN remains concerned by ongoing violence in Myanmar, including aerial bombardment hitting civilians and civilian infrastructure,” he said, at the regular press briefing in New York. “Civilians and humanitarian workers must be protected.” His remarks […]

UN warns of ‘catastrophic hunger’ in Gaza as Israel announces humanitarian pauses

UN warns of ‘catastrophic hunger’ in Gaza as Israel announces humanitarian pauses

But as starvation tightens its grip and “children are dying before our eyes,” UN officials and aid workers warn that the measures fall far short of the much-needed ceasefire and unfettered aid access that could help stem the spiralling humanitarian catastrophe. “Welcome announcement of humanitarian pauses in Gaza to allow our aid through,” UN Emergency […]

UN warns of escalating human toll in Ukraine amid relentless aerial attacks, mounting aid shortfall

UN warns of escalating human toll in Ukraine amid relentless aerial attacks, mounting aid shortfall

“Nowhere is safe in Ukraine,” said Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe at the UN Department of Political Affairs (UNDPPA). Citing figures from the UN human rights office, OHCHR, he said civilian casualties reached a three-year high in June, with 6,754 civilians killed or injured in the first half of 2025 alone. Russian forces launched […]