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Global perspective Human stories

MIDDLE EAST LIVE 9 April: UN condemns massive strikes in Lebanon, as concerns grow over ceasefire

With a US-Iran ceasefire offering a fragile glimmer of hope after weeks of conflict, violence continues to reverberate across the Middle East. Massive airstrikes in Lebanon have caused heavy civilian casualties and widespread destruction, drawing strong UN condemnation. As humanitarian needs deepen and diplomatic efforts intensify, the situation remains highly volatile. Stay with us for live updates. App users can follow coverage here.

9 April 2026

MIDDLE EAST LIVE 8 April: US-Iran ceasefire announced; strikes continue in Lebanon

After nearly 40 days of intense hostilities across the Middle East – marked by rising civilian casualties and widespread damage to critical infrastructure – a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran has been announced. While the UN Secretary-General has welcomed the move as a step toward a broader peace, reports of continued Israeli strikes and mass casualties across Lebanon underscore the fragility of the situation. Stay with us for live updates. App users can follow coverage here.

8 April 2026

Over 1,000 humanitarians have been killed in three years, Security Council hears

At least 326 humanitarians were killed in the line of duty across 21 countries during 2025, bringing the total killed over three years to over 1,010. The International Red Cross warned the Security Council on Wednesday that “we are losing our humanity in war.”

8 April 2026

Hundreds feared dead in Lebanon strikes

The United Nations has strongly condemned airstrikes by the Israeli military across Lebanon on Wednesday which have resulted in significant casualties and destruction.  

8 April 2026

Iran ceasefire raises hopes for reopening key Strait of Hormuz

The announcement of a shaky two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, will it is hoped, lead to the opening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which one fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes.

8 April 2026

‘Entire families brutally erased’: Remembering the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

Thirty-two years ago, a genocidal campaign was unleashed against Rwanda’s Tutsi minority, resulting in more than one million deaths. On Tuesday, the UN is holding commemorations to ensure that the genocide is never forgotten and never repeated.

7 April 2026

MIDDLE EAST LIVE 7 April: Humanitarian and economic pressures grow; Russia and China veto resolution on Strait of Hormuz

Hostilities continue across the Middle East, with ongoing strikes, rising civilian impacts and mounting pressure on critical infrastructure and humanitarian services. On the diplomatic track in New York, China and Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution put forward by Gulf States to ensure safety and security of ships in the Strait of Hormuz - find full coverage here. Meanwhile, displacement remains high, aid access is constrained. Human rights chief Volker Türk says President Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilisation is “sickening”. Stay with us for live updates from across the UN system. App users can follow coverage here.

7 April 2026

From misdiagnosis to medical bias: Why women are living longer but not better

For 25 years, the world has made significant progress in advancing women’s right to health, particularly in sexual and reproductive care. Women are living longer than ever before – but they are not living better.

7 April 2026

Security Council: Russia and China veto resolution on Strait of Hormuz

The UN Security Council has failed to adopt a resolution aiming to boost security in the Strait of Hormuz as the critical shipping corridor remains largely closed to global trade and the transport of humanitarian aid, with war continuing to rage across the region. 

7 April 2026

World News in Brief: Death on the Mediterranean, displacement in Afghanistan, ‘One Health’ summit

Over 180 people are feared dead or missing in the latest shipwrecks on the Mediterranean, according to the UN migration agency, IOM.

7 April 2026