UN chief calls for safety of peacekeepers after IDF breaches UN position in Lebanon
The incident took place early on Sunday morning (local time), when two IDF Merkava tanks destroyed the main gate and forcibly entered the position, according to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon. About two hours later, after the tanks had…
UN, INGOs call for immediate release of detained personnel in Yemen
In a joint statement, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen, the heads of UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WFP, WHO and OHCHR, and heads of the INGOs OXFAM International, Save the Children International and CARE International, expressed their deep…
Middle East crisis: UN human rights office condemns worsening violence
In an appeal for an end to the “killing, destruction [and] bellicose posturing” by those in power, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said that the situation for civilians on the ground “in Lebanon, Gaza, Israel and Syria is getting…
Sudan: Refugee numbers swell as war continues to drive displacement
South Sudan now ranks as the second largest recipient of people fleeing Sudan, with more than 810,000 new arrivals since April 2023, including returning South Sudanese refugees who were sheltering in Sudan and refugee and asylum seekers from other countries….
Twenty years on: Indonesia ‘better prepared’ following tsunami
The lyrics include references to an earthquake, a massive wave, land submerged under water and locating to higher ground. “When there is an earthquake and a tsunami, you are in panic, you cannot be expected to think. This is why…
Farmers cultivate an opium-free future for Lao PDR
“I get up at 4 am in harvesting season to pick the red berries which are taken to the processing plant,” 22-year-old Phuperp told the United Nations. Phuperp comes from a family of farmers which grows corn, rice, and legumes and…
Myanmar is spiralling, warns UN chief in peace call to regional bloc ASEAN
The UN chief’s appeal comes as aid agencies warn that millions of people remain in acute need across Myanmar – particularly in the north, southeast and Rakhine state. Their plight has been made even worse by torrential rainfall and catastrophic flooding,…
Gaza food aid levels at ‘breaking point’
Critical aid lifelines into northern Gaza have been cut off, and no food aid has entered there since 1 October, said UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, citing information from the World Food Progamme (WFP). The main crossings into the north…
Waiting for the ‘big one’ – natural hazards in the Philippines: A UN Resident Coordinator blog
The Southeast Asian country is the most prone to natural hazards in the world, and these hazards are becoming more intense due to climate change. The UN has been working alongside the authorities in the Philippines to prepare for a…
MIDDLE EAST: Updating live from the Security Council and across the UN
As turmoil roils the Middle East, senior UN officials provided humanitarian updates on the impact of continued fighting in Lebanon and Gaza, while many ambassadors in the Security Council offered strong support for the “indispensable” role of the Palestine refugee…