Colombia: Catatumbo killings highlight fragility of peace process
Clashes between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and a rival armed group, EMBF, erupted last week in the remote northeastern region, leaving dozens dead, including former combatants, peace signatories, social leaders, and human rights defenders. Many victims were targeted individually,…
Support for Haiti needed now ‘more than ever’, Security Council hears
Maria Isabel Salvador updated ambassadors on the situation in the Caribbean country, where a political transition process to restore democratic institutions continues against a backdrop of ongoing gang violence, mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince. “At this crucial time, Haiti needs…
Release of ship’s crew, ‘a step in the right direction’: UN Yemen envoy
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, seized the MV Galaxy Leader in November 2023 as part of attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea they instigated in support of the Palestinian cause in Gaza. The 25 sailors on…
Trump to Putin: End ‘ridiculous’ war against Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump emphatically told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday to “STOP this ridiculous War!” against Ukraine or the United States would soon impose new “high levels” of taxes, tariffs and sanctions on any Russian exports to…
Trump highlights partnership investing $500B in AI
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building…
Namibia doctors fight cervical cancer
WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA — The cervical cancer rate in Namibia is 37.5 for every 100,000 women, about three times higher than the rate worldwide. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and doctors in Namibia are advocating greater access…
Trump’s 2nd term: Hopes for economic prosperity amid new challenges
Many American voters are hopeful that President Donald Trump’s second term, which began on Jan. 20, will usher in a period of economic prosperity — much like they felt during his first term. However, the economy he is inheriting this…
EU, China warn against trade friction at Davos after Trump return
Davos, Switzerland — EU chief Ursula von der Leyen declared Tuesday that Europe was ready to negotiate with the United States and seek to improve ties with China as Beijing warned against damaging trade wars in the face of Donald…
UN rights expert calls for end to Russia’s crackdown on lawyers
Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, urged Russian authorities to release lawyers Vadim Kobzev, Alexei Liptser and Igor Sergunin, who were sentenced on 17 January to prison terms on “extremism” charges. Their…
Aid surging into Gaza ‘at scale’ but massive needs remain: OCHA, WHO
On day three of the ceasefire which entered into force on Sunday 19 January, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, welcomed the “surge” in lifesaving humanitarian assistance into the enclave, after 15 months of devastating Israeli bombardment. Aid trucks began…