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Real cost of disasters is 10 times higher than previously thought, says UN

As countries face increasingly steep bills from natural hazards, the true cost of disasters is actually 10 times higher than previously estimated, with far-reaching effects across healthcare, housing, education and employment…

Gaza: UN agencies call for aid ‘surge’ as Israeli distribution plan begins

As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation…

Sudan conflict triggers regional health crisis, warns WHO

As the war between rival militaries in Sudan continues, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over the escalating health emergency, driven by ongoing violence, mass displacement, collapsing health systems and poor conditions inside refugee camps…

UN aims to transform urgency into action at Nice Ocean Conference

Countries are uniting in the French city of Nice next month to save the marine environment. The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) from 9-13 June will bring together Heads of State,…

New judge elected to the International Court of Justice

A seasoned diplomat and legal scholar from Jordan was elected on Tuesday to serve as a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ principal judicial body. Mahmoud…

Sanctions relief for Syria offers ‘powerful message of hope,’ says UN migration agency

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) has welcomed recent decisions by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union to ease sanctions against Syria. After more than a…

UN warns of ‘catastrophic’ human rights crisis in Myanmar as violence and economic collapse deepen

Myanmar’s spiralling human rights crisis – fuelled by relentless military violence, systemic impunity and economic collapse – has left civilians caught in the crossfire of an increasingly brutal conflict, according to a new report by the UN human rights office (OHCHR…

Top marks for Lebanon schools project helping marginalised kids

An inclusive education programme in Lebanon is getting top marks from teachers and students, especially children with disabilities who are often the most marginalised. According to UNICEF, there are an…

Gazans’ suffering goes on amid intensifying Israeli strikes

After another deadly weekend of Israeli attacks in Gaza, aid teams stressed once again on Monday that the “trickle” of supplies being allowed into the war-torn enclave will not halt famine. In occupied…

UN rights chief calls for end to daily killings in Ukraine after deadly weekend attacks

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for an immediate end to the daily killings and destruction across Ukraine, following a weekend of deadly attacks that left at least 14 civilians – including three children – dead and dozens more injured…