News headlines in April 2026

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh, April 20 (IPS) - Every winter thousands of sea turtles come ashore at Cox’s Bazar, in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, to lay eggs.

LONDON, April 20 (IPS) - On 7 April, the government of Cameroon published a list of 16 of its citizens confirmed killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine. That means the number of Cameroon citizens killed in this distant war has likely surpassed a hundred, making the country the biggest victim of a Russian recruitment drive increasingly focused on Africa.

UNITED NATIONS, April 20 (IPS) - We are stuck in response mode. But what good is an ambulance without a hospital?Climate shocks are intensifying. Conflict is at record levels. Economies are fragile. Humanitarian appeals grow larger each year, while donor countries prioritise domestic and security concerns. One emergency follows another. Recovery slips further out of reach.

New data shows that nearly three in four countries in Europe now use Artificial Intelligence in their health services to make a diagnosis.

The Security Council meets in emergency session at 3pm to address the escalating conflict in Ukraine. The open briefing follows a formal request from Kyiv citing a surge in Russian aerial bombardments, including devastating strikes on the city of Dnipro. Ukraine has reported that between late March and mid-April, more than 5,000 drones and missiles were launched, killing dozens of civilians and injuring hundreds more. Follow full meetings coverage below and UN News app users can follow here.

Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ access to healthcare, including during conflict, is the theme for a major meeting that opened at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday.

The UN and European Union issued a joint warning on Monday that human development across Gaza has been set back by a staggering 77 years, with $71.4 billion needed over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction.

Rising conflicts, the climate crisis and shrinking development finance are putting growing pressure on the poorest and most vulnerable countries – pushing development goals further off track.

Tensions have escalated in the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed security incidents, including reported attacks on vessels and a US interception of an Iranian cargo ship. In Lebanon, a 10-day ceasefire with Israel continues to hold, with thousands returning to the south despite widespread destruction. A UN peacekeeper was also killed over the weekend, with initial assessments indicating the fire reportedly came from Hezbollah. Stay with us for live updates. App users can follow coverage here.

BRATISLAVA, April 20 (IPS) - Aid groups have welcomed a ten-day ceasefire agreed between Israel and Lebanon but warn only a permanent halt to fighting can allow for the kind of response needed to address the dire humanitarian situation in the country.