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Global perspective Human stories

First Person: Surviving death row in Thailand

A Thai woman who spent more than 20 years in prison after being found guilty of drugs trafficking – including eight on death row – has told the UN how learning to sew helped her find meaning in life behind bars, and a job when she was released.

10 May 2026

Passengers leave hantavirus-hit cruise ship in Tenerife as WHO says outbreak ‘not another COVID’

Passengers and crew from the cruise ship MV Hondius began disembarking in Tenerife on Sunday under a tightly coordinated international health operation led by Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO), as officials sought to reassure the public that the outbreak “is not another COVID.”

10 May 2026

Nuclear energy in the Middle East: A realistic choice or a risk?

As global electricity demand grows, so does the popularity of nuclear energy. In the Middle East, several countries are evaluating or advancing nuclear power projects, balancing weighty issues such as regional security, climatic conditions and international cooperation.

9 May 2026

WHO chief heads to Tenerife to oversee Sunday arrival of hantavirus-hit ship

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a direct plea for calm and solidarity to the citizens of Tenerife ahead of the scheduled arrival of the MV Hondius on Sunday

9 May 2026

Wider hantavirus outbreak risk is ‘absolutely low’, insists UN health agency

The risk of hantavirus spreading to the general population is “absolutely low”, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Friday, as a flight attendant tested negative for the disease after coming into contact with an infected passenger from the cruise ship at the centre of the outbreak, who later died. 

8 May 2026

Lebanon war leaves families foraging for food despite ceasefire

The fragile ceasefire in Lebanon hasn’t prevented “ongoing killing and displacement”, with villages in the south of the country rendered completely unrecognizable after Israeli strikes, aid teams reported on Friday.

8 May 2026

Ukraine: Over 3,000 attacks on healthcare since full-scale Russian invasion

The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified more than 3,000 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN agency reported on Friday.

8 May 2026

Malaria vaccine is saving children’s lives: WHO

New evidence shows that malaria vaccination is significantly reducing child deaths in Africa and could have an even greater impact as programmes expand, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

8 May 2026

Somalia teeters on the brink of catastrophe as hunger crisis deepens

“This is not a distant warning. This is a crisis that is unfolding right now and it's deepening quickly.”

8 May 2026

Central African Republic: Funding cuts put humanitarian support at risk

The Central African Republic (CAR) is making progress towards stability and security but major aid budget cuts threaten humanitarian operations there, a senior official with the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on Friday in New York. 

8 May 2026