Gazans ‘have no homes – and they have no hope’: UN chief

Gazans ‘have no homes – and they have no hope’: UN chief

  Speaking at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN chief underscored the need for “real, visible, concrete steps” towards a two-State solution based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements. “Repeated bloody hostilities and decades of tensions and occupation have failed to provide a State for the Palestinians or…

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Ukraine: IAEA chief slams ‘complacency’ over stricken Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant

World News in Brief: Ukraine nuclear power plant update, DR Congo flood response, impact of US terrorism designations

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi took stock of the safety and security situation at the plant as part of ongoing efforts to help prevent a nuclear accident during the ongoing war. Russian forces seized control of ZNPP – Europe’s largest nuclear plant – shortly after the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly…

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Gaza war enters fifth month amid reports of potential ceasefire deal

Gaza war enters fifth month amid reports of potential ceasefire deal

Commenting on the “potentially positive news” surrounding the “huge efforts” involved in the latest international push for peace in Gaza spearheaded by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, noted the possibility of “a long period of a pause (in fighting) to allow hostages out and…

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WFP pleads for aid access in Sudan, amid reports of starvation

UN appeals for $4.1 billion in aid for war-torn Sudan and refugee-hosting countries

“Half of Sudan’s population, 25 million people, needs humanitarian assistance,” Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, told journalists in Geneva. He emphasized that far too many of those in need were children, and that 18 million people were acutely food insecure, amid one of the world’s largest displacement and protection crises.   The appeal comprises…

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World News in Brief: UN official condemns attacks in Ukraine, DR Congo faces fresh fighting and devastating floods

World News in Brief: UN official condemns attacks in Ukraine, DR Congo faces fresh fighting and devastating floods

The morning assault reportedly involved Russian-fired missiles and drones which hit six Ukrainian regions leaving at least five dead.  The attacks also disrupted essential services, including electricity, water and gas supplies, especially in Mykolaiv city and Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, when they are much needed this cold winter. “Millions of people rely on these services for…

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UN food agency ramps up deliveries amid worsening food security in Ethiopia

UN food agency ramps up deliveries amid worsening food security in Ethiopia

“WFP, with our partners, are working tirelessly to reach millions of Ethiopians at risk of hunger in the first quarter of the year to help keep a major humanitarian catastrophe at bay,” said Chris Nikoi, the agency’s interim Country Director in Ethiopia. “WFP is extremely concerned about the deteriorating food security in northern Ethiopia, where…

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