Eastern DR Congo: Crisis deepens as crime and insecurity surges
According to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA, aid workers have been among those killed, and widespread human rights violations have been reported, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at a regular news briefing in New York. “In Lubero Territory,…
Ukraine: Guterres says ‘Enough is Enough’ as war reaches the three-year mark
“On this tragic occasion, I reaffirm the urgent need for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace – one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the UN Charter, international law,…
Ukraine three years on: Pain, loss, solidarity and hope for a better future
“I’m trying not to cry, but I can’t help it. I’m glad I have tissues on hand,” admits Natalia Datchenko, a Ukrainian staff member of the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, struggling to hold back her tears as she recounts the…
UN in Ukraine prepares for the worst, hopes for the best
Ukrainians continue to face near daily attacks, with air strikes consistently targeting civilian infrastructure, leaving families without homes, security and electricity. More than 10 million people have been uprooted from their homes, making Ukraine the largest displacement crisis in Europe…
New round of polio vaccinations begins in Gaza
It follows a campaign last year that reached hundreds of thousands of young children under the age of 10. Polio virus was recently detected in wastewater samples in Gaza, indicating that circulation is ongoing, thus putting young lives at risk….
Security Council urges Rwanda to stop supporting M23 in eastern DR Congo
The 15 members called on the Rwanda Defence Forces to stop supporting the armed group and immediately withdraw from Congolese territory “without preconditions.” The Council reiterated its urgent appeal for all parties to conclude an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as…
Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has sown ‘psychological terror’, warns top aid coordinator
Briefing from Ukrainian capital Kyiv after another night of “air sirens and more loud explosions”, Mr. Schmale noted that the crisis began in 2014, with Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. “So, all children that were born since – all children…
Colombia: Fleeing the thunder of violence in Catatumbo
Miguel Ángel López, the director of a funeral home in Tibú, used to recover bodies that appeared along the roads of one of Colombia’s most violent regions, Catatumbo. On 15 January, he was murdered along with his wife and their…
Urgent appeal launched as DR Congo crisis fuels mass displacement to Burundi
As fighting escalates in eastern DRC, more than 40,000 Congolese refugees – primarily women and children – have crossed into Burundi since February, with over 9,000 arrivals recorded in a single day this week. Many are using makeshift boats to…
Gaza: Nearly 148,000 receive cash aid since ceasefire began
Since the ceasefire on 19 January, some 138,000 Palestinians have benefited from cash assistance, including people with disabilities and pregnant and breastfeeding women. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that market conditions across Gaza have improved since the ceasefire took…