News headlines in March 2026

NAIROBI, March 3 (IPS) - As the global community marks 2026 World Wildlife Day today (March 3), this year’s focus is on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods. However, beneath these celebrations, a difficult question emerges: who will bear the cost of conservation when traditional donor funding becomes uncertain and in the face of climate change?

MANILA, Philippines, March 3 (IPS) - Communities globally are increasingly exposed to overlapping threats. Extreme weather, health emergencies and cyberattacks are occurring more frequently and simultaneously, often interacting in ways that amplify risks and strain response systems.

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (IPS) - As the build-up for a proposed “new world order” continues, a lingering question remains: will the country with the most powerful military reign supreme?

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (IPS) - Across the world’s fragile borderlands where insecurity, climate stress, and marginalization intersect, communities often find themselves on the frontlines of violent extremism. Yet these same communities also hold the greatest potential for peace, when given the confidence, tools, and opportunities to shape their own future.

On the fourth day of Israeli and United States airstrikes against Iran and amid growing violence and instability in the Middle East, the UN urgently called for protection of civilians and warned of growing displacement and humanitarian needs.

Violent escalation in the Middle East has entered a fourth day, with US and Israeli military strikes against Iran and ensuing Iranian counter-strikes hitting targets across the region, disrupting airspace and transport routes. The situation has caused civilian casualties and raised fears of broader instability, including in Lebanon and the Gulf. We will bring you real-time reporting and updates from across the United Nations system. UN News app users can follow the coverage here.

KIWENGWA, Tanzania, March 2 (IPS) - As the tide falls on Zanzibar’s western coast, 13-year-old Asha* moves across the reef, her gown flapping in knee-deep water. She carries a plastic basin and a knife. Since dawn, Asha has been prying octopus and scaling fish for drying and selling.

BERLIN, Germany, March 2 (IPS) - The crisis could scarcely be more dramatic. The US is blocking practically all oil deliveries to Cuba. The island depends on imports for all diesel, petrol and kerosine. Without diesel trucks cannot move, food cannot reach Cuban towns and hospitals will not get any oxygen.

UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (IPS) - The United States and Israel launched a joint military strike on Iran on February 28. Iran followed with military strikes on Israeli bases and on Arab Gulf states, including Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. The realized threat of a new war has caused alarm for the security situation in the Middle East and its impact on civilian populations.

Medicinal plants and their varied uses span from ancient medicine to modern cosmetics and pharmaceuticals amid a surging demand for more.