UN News
UN News - Global perspective Human stories

Global perspective Human stories

Lebanon crisis: Needs soar as UN launches new funding appeal

The UN in Lebanon appealed for an additional $331.5 million on Friday to help 1.4 million people in crisis as already massive needs continue to grow, three months since deadly violence erupted between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces.

5 June 2026

Haiti: Harrowing needs must be met with long-term engagement

Escalating gang violence across Haiti has pushed displacement to record levels, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis and leaving nearly 1.5 million people without a stable place to live, according to new figures released Friday by the UN migration agency, IOM.

5 June 2026

Killed for speaking up: UN sounds alarm over attacks on environmental defenders

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on Thursday for greater protection for environmental and land defenders, noting that hundreds worldwide have been killed or detained in recent years.

4 June 2026

From the Field: In crisis-hit Middle East, renewables power daily life

Across the Middle East, countries facing severe energy access challenges are turning to renewables to power essential infrastructure, from hospitals to schools and street lighting.

4 June 2026

Undeclared chemical weapons found in Syria, including type used in notorious Ghouta massacre

Chemical weapons inspectors have uncovered a significant cache of previously undeclared chemical weapons in Syria – including rockets of the same type used in the notorious 2013 Ghouta attack – in what the UN’s top disarmament official called a “momentous discovery” for international security.

4 June 2026

From food lines in Somalia to clinics in Afghanistan, Hormuz crisis sends shockwaves through global aid networks

What began as a geopolitical crisis in the Middle East nearly 100 days ago is increasingly becoming a food security crisis elsewhere, with UN agencies warning of rising hunger in Africa and malnourished children being turned away from medical clinics in Afghanistan.

4 June 2026

World News in Brief: UN scales up Ebola response, refugees ‘exiled’ in Africa, Political tensions escalate in Somalia

The UN and its partners are continuing efforts to contain Ebola outbreaks in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, while warning that insecurity and misinformation remain major obstacles to the response.

4 June 2026

Building trust on patrol: One police officer’s peacekeeping journey in South Sudan

From a police station in Germany to the UN Mission in South Sudan, Stephanie Königs has been talking to UN News about her journey to becoming a peacekeeper – and the importance of trust and empathy in the field. 

4 June 2026

AI’s environmental costs threaten water, land and climate

Artificial Intelligence is not only responsible for worrying amounts of earth-warming greenhouse gases: the technology's environmental footprint is also expanding at a pace that could strain the planet’s natural resources.

4 June 2026

Lebanon: Another peacekeeper dies in new attack

A Serbian peacekeeper serving in Lebanon died early Thursday after mortar fire on his position near Marjayoun in the country’s southeast, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has announced.

4 June 2026