Urgent needs of refugees, vulnerable people surge in flood-hit Brazil
GENEVA — As Brazil’s heavily flooded southern state of Rio Grande do Sul braces for a weekend of intense rain, the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, is calling for greater support to help tens of thousands of refugees, who are among…
UN reports 300 deaths from flash floods in northern Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD — The United Nations and Taliban authorities said Saturday that the death toll from flash floods following heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province had risen to a least 300. The U.N. World Food Program said the flooding…
Madagascar: Coordination, convergence and change from the grass roots up
Those are the questions that UN agencies on the ground in Madagascar are considering as the island nation struggles against climate change, huge humanitarian needs and persistent underdevelopment. UNICEF’s Deputy Representative, Head of Programmes Gilles Chevalier and Natasha van Rijn…
Ukraine ground force commander expects Russian push ahead of arms supplies
The commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, in an interview published Friday, said he expected the 26-month-old war against Russia to enter a critical phase in the next two months as Moscow tries to exploit delays in supplying weapons to Kyiv….
First ‘extreme’ solar storm in 20 years brings spectacular auroras
Washington — The most powerful solar storm in more than two decades struck Earth on Friday, triggering spectacular celestial light shows in skies from Tasmania to Britain — and threatening possible disruptions to satellites and power grids as it persists…
Countries struggle to draft ‘pandemic treaty’ to avoid COVID-era mistakes
geneva — After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an…
Online abuse silences women in Ethiopia, study finds
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Research into online abuse and hate speech reveals most women in Ethiopia face gender-targeted attacks across Facebook, Telegram and X. The abuse and hate speech are prompting many Ethiopian women to withdraw from public life, online…
Flash floods kill at least 50 in one day in north Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan — At least 50 people, mainly women and children, died Friday in flash flooding that ripped through Afghanistan’s Baghlan province, in the north of the country, a local official told AFP. “So far, the number of dead is…
White House authorizes $400 million emergency military aid for Ukraine
The White House announced an emergency $400 million military aid package for Ukraine Friday by the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the president to transfer munitions and services from the Pentagon’s U.S. stockpile without congressional approval. This is the third…
Biden set to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, sources say
WASHINGTON AND SAN FRANCISCO — U.S. President Joe Biden is set to announce new tariffs on China as soon as next week, targeting strategic sectors, including electric vehicles, according to two people familiar with the matter. The full announcement, which…