News headlines
A Divided Vote for the UN’s Human Rights Chief
- Inter Press Service
BRUSSELS, Belgium, August 26 (IPS) - On 24 July, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly reappointed Volker Türk as High Commissioner for Human Rights for a further four years. Only 10 states – among them Israel, Russia and the USA – opposed the decision.
Land models sprout as degradation threatens billions of livelihoods
- UN News
Promising efforts to restore degraded land are now in the spotlight at a time when 40 per cent of the world’s land currently faces degradation and drought, threatening the livelihoods of over three billion people, the head of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) said Wednesday, announcing three winners of its World Restoration Flagships awards.
Red Sea nations step up maritime cooperation as regional threats grow
- UN News
From piracy and migrant smuggling to disruptions affecting global shipping routes, countries bordering one of the world’s busiest waterways are seeking closer cooperation to stay ahead of fast-evolving maritime threats.
Explainer: UN peace operations work to create, preserve peace
- UN News
Supporting the first democratic elections after brutal civil wars in Mozambique and Cambodia. Disarming thousands of child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Helping to secure Namibia’s independence from South Africa. These are some of the contributions of UN operations around the world to help countries transition from conflict to lasting peace.
Deadly floods cause widespread destruction in China, Nepal
- UN News
Severe flooding in China and Nepal caused widespread destruction and mounting death tolls, UN agencies reported on Wednesday as aid efforts deployed to help provide emergency assistance.
More health workers, stronger systems: Africa’s new ambitious goal
- UN News
Facing a projected shortage of more than six million health professionals by 2035, African countries are stepping up efforts to strengthen their workforce, with a new decade-long plan announced on Wednesday during a meeting of health ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Security Council LIVE: Rising tensions in Gaza, West Bank
- UN News
Amid illegal Israeli settlement surges, continued attacks in Gaza and the West Bank alongside tensions throughout Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Security Council discussed the latest developments on Wednesday, with the UN Special Envoy stressing that “human dignity must be at the centre of all efforts” to overcome the current fragile ceasefire and continued suffering. UN News app users can follow here.
Retired in Ukraine: One Cheese, Two Chickens and a Dozen Eggs
- Inter Press Service
UZHGOROD, Ukraine, August 25 (IPS) - Marina says she does not particularly like her flowers, but that, “for some reason,” people buy them.
Colombia Declares State of Emergency Following Deadly Earthquake
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, August 25 (IPS) - Over the past week, the humanitarian crisis in Colombia has deteriorated significantly following the Mw 7.4–7.5 earthquake that struck the Chocó department on August 10. With the Colombian government declaring a State of Emergency across 15 departments, the nation continues to struggle with massive civilian casualties, immense damage to critical infrastructure, and the disruption of basic services. The national government and the humanitarian community continue to coordinate lifesaving responses and monitor conditions as they evolve.
South Africa’s Anti-Immigrant Violence Slows SDG Goals, Rips Apart Africans’ Free Movement Call
- Inter Press Service
BLANTYRE, Malawi, August 25 (IPS) - When the Malawian government announced the conclusion of the repatriation of its citizens trapped in anti-immigrant violence against foreign Africans in South Africa on August 12, 2026, it had brought home 56,723 nationals, according to data from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.
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