Tom Fletcher, UN humanitarian chief, urges urgent aid for Sudan and Gaza amid worsening crises. Musician and author, he's been in the news for global relief efforts.
The UN reports a surge in violence against humanitarian workers from 2023 to 2025, with over 1,010 killed globally. Despite resolutions calling for protection, aid staff face restrictions, detention, and targeted attacks, highlighting a collapse in international safeguards during ongoing conflicts.
South Africa has appointed Ralph Meyer as its new US ambassador, following a vacancy since 2025 and the expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool. Meyer, a key figure in ending apartheid, is expected to improve diplomatic relations with Washington amid recent tensions, including the US refugee program for white South Africans and diplomatic expulsions.
UNICEF has issued its first Child Alert in 20 years for Darfur, saying children have been pushed into extreme hunger, disease, displacement and violence as fighting between Sudan's army and the RSF has intensified. The agency has warned that needs are larger than in 2005 and that international funding and access are dangerously low.
Sudan has been in a civil war since April 2023, with ongoing fighting between the military and RSF. The conflict has caused widespread displacement, famine, and infrastructure destruction. International efforts to broker peace and provide aid are ongoing, but the crisis remains unresolved as of April 2026.
Recent aid budget cuts by the US and UK are worsening the humanitarian crisis caused by the Iran war. UN officials warn that these reductions will increase global poverty, displacement, and instability, with millions at risk of suffering from food and water shortages. The conflict's ripple effects are felt worldwide.