US consumer confidence drops sharply, survey shows
U.S. consumer confidence plunged in February in its biggest monthly decline in more than four years, a business research group said Tuesday. The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index dropped from 105.3 in January to 98.3 this month, the…
Ukraine’s silent battle: Mental health crisis among war-weary troops
After three years of relentless war, Ukraine is facing a mental health crisis, with hospitals overwhelmed by soldiers suffering from anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Doctors say the hidden wounds could linger for decades. Yan Boechat reports from Lviv…
Unknown illness kills over 50 in part of Congo with hours between symptoms and death
KINSHASA, DR Congo — An unknown illness has killed over 50 people in northwestern Congo, according to doctors on the ground and the World Health Organization on Monday. The interval between the onset of symptoms and death has been 48…
Ukraine: Post-war reconstruction set to cost $524 billion
The updated joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4) commissioned by the Ukrainian Government, the World Bank Group, the European Commission and the UN, comes as Russia’s full-scale invasion enters its fourth year. It covers damage incurred since intensified conflict…
‘We’re afraid to return home’: Uprooted again, Congolese civilians face hunger and more insecurity
On 9 February, M23 fighters gave Tumusifu, her six children and all the other residents of Bulengo displacement camp just 72 hours to leave. For the second time in a matter of weeks they would have to pick up their…
Haiti: Gang violence displaces 6,000 people in one month
Since the end of January, a wave of extreme brutality has led to widespread loss of life and the displacement of over 6,000 people in the capital, Port-au-Prince. “We are deeply alarmed and appalled by the unacceptable and inhumane intensity…
‘Political courage’ needed to end war in the Middle East: Top UN envoy
Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, Special Coordinator Sigrid Kaag emphasised that peace in the Middle East is possible. “We can achieve a future where a safe and secure Israel exists alongside a viable and independent Palestinian State. This requires…
Success for polio campaign in Gaza while West Bank tensions continue
The campaign has been extended until Wednesday to ensure full coverage, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the regular news briefing in New York, citing UN humanitarian coordinators. As of Monday, the third day of the campaign, some…
Talks to protect Earth’s biodiversity resume with money topping the agenda
BOGOTA, Colombia — An annual United Nations conference on biodiversity that ran out of time last year will resume its work Tuesday in Rome with money at the top of the agenda. That is, how to spend what’s been pledged…
Russian aerial attacks hit Kyiv, Sumy
Multiple regions of Ukraine came under aerial attack from Russian forces overnight, with officials in Kyiv and Sumy saying Tuesday there were injuries and damage to buildings. Mykola Kalashnyk, governor of the Kyiv region, said a 44-year-old woman was hospitalized…