News headlines for “Geopolitics”, page 2
Myanmar: Opium crop hits 10-year high amid conflict and economic collapse
- UN News

Opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar has surged to a ten-year high, the United Nations reported on Wednesday, underscoring how prolonged conflict and economic collapse are driving farmers deeper into the illicit economy.
UN sounds alarm as landmine deaths rise amid funding cuts
- UN News

The deadly legacy of conflicts old and new – from Gaza to Sudan and beyond – continues to kill and maim civilians on a near-daily basis, mine action workers said on Wednesday, as they appealed for greater support for their lifesaving work in the face of deep funding cuts.
Resumption of Nuclear-Explosive Testing: A Dangerous Path
- Inter Press Service

SAN FRANCISCO, USA, December 2 (IPS) - In a Truth Social post that reverberated around the world, on October 29 President Donald Trump wrote: “Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.”
International Volunteer Year (IVY) 2026: An Opportunity to Re-imagine UNV?
- Inter Press Service

KATHMANDU, Nepal, December 2 (IPS) - This coming International Volunteer Day (IVD), celebrated every year on 5 December, is special because the United Nations will launch the International Volunteer Year 2026 or IVY 2026.
Rising Arms Revenues and Rising Death Tolls Underscore Ongoing Military Conflicts & Civil Wars
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, December 2 (IPS) - The revenues from arms sales and military services by the 100 largest arms-producing companies rose by 5.9 per cent in 2024, reaching a record $679 billion, according to new data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Iraq: UN mission ends, with pledge of continued support
- UN News

The recent parliamentary elections in Iraq mark a fitting end to the work of the UN Mission in the country, the Security Council heard on Tuesday.
Yemen’s Worsening Food Security Crisis: Economic Collapse, Continued Insecurity, and Humanitarian Challenges
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, December 1 (IPS) - For the past decade, Yemen has been at the center of a severe and multifaceted humanitarian crisis, marked by widespread violence between various Middle Eastern actors, widespread civilian displacement, economic decline, and the collapse of essential services that serve as lifelines for displaced communities. As the crisis has intensified in recent months, humanitarian agencies face increasing challenges in providing lifesaving care to civilians, who are experiencing record levels of hunger in a country that has become more reliant on remittances as self-sufficiency continues to slip further out of reach.
‘Seven Million People Have Taken to the Streets to Stand up for Democracy’
- Inter Press Service

CIVICUS discusses US civil society action under the second Trump administration with Bridget Moix, General Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest faith-based lobbying organisation in the USA, advocating for peace, justice and environmental stewardship. Bridget has participated in the No Kings movement, a nationwide grassroots response to democratic backsliding and attacks on rights.
Graduation Must Be a Springboard, Not a Stumbling Block
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, December 1 (IPS) - As we gather in Doha for the High-Level Meeting on “Forging Ambitious Global Partnerships for Sustainable and Resilient Graduation of Least Developed Countries,” the stakes could not be higher. A record number of fourteen countries-equally divided between Asia and Africa are now on graduation track. Graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category is a landmark national achievement—a recognition of hard-won gains in income, human development, and resilience. Yet, for too many countries, this milestone comes with new vulnerabilities that risk undermining the very gains that enabled graduation.
Vulnerable Populations Will Suffer With UNAIDS Early Closure
- Inter Press Service

BRATISLAVA, December 1 (IPS) - “It’s like adding fuel to an already burning fire,” says Aditia Taslim.
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