UN agency fighting poverty and building sustainable development
A glacial collapse on 26 August has produced a torrent of water, mud and debris across the Nepal–Tibet border that has killed more than 1,400 people and left over 5,600 missing. Rescue teams have been digging into buried hydropower tunnels, evacuating survivors and operating camps for thousands displaced, while authorities are racing to drain newly formed barrier lakes that threaten fresh floods.
Across Africa, governments are prioritising domestic resources to fund infrastructure and social programmes, citing vast pension funds and private savings as untapped assets. Officials say aid reliance is declining, while long-term domestic capital will finance growth. The shift comes as aid falls and debt concerns rise.
Two powerful earthquakes have struck near Caracas, killing thousands and injuring many more while triggering a major disaster response. The government reports rising tolls and widespread missing-persons amid damaged infrastructure and international aid efforts.
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The June 24 earthquakes have left thousands displaced, with water and sanitation shortages, overwhelming healthcare facilities. The death toll has surpassed 1,900, and aid continues from the US and other nations as hospitals face equipment shortages and the threat of disease spread.
Rescue teams have pulled 43-year-old Hernán Alberto Gil Flores alive from the collapsed Galerías Playa Grande shopping centre in La Guaira after he had been trapped since 24 June. International and Venezuelan teams have worked about 100 hours to tunnel to him, keeping him alive with water and liquid nutrients passed through a narrow shaft during the operation.
The earthquakes have left thousands dead and tens of thousands missing. International rescue teams are aiding civilian efforts while humanitarian agencies warn of a growing health and displacement crisis. The government reports rising casualties, while responders emphasize ongoing search-and-rescue operations amid aftershocks.
Frontline workers at Ituri’s Ebola response facilities have struck over unpaid wages as the Bundibugyo outbreak expands to more provinces. The situation adds strain to an already overwhelmed health system, with clinics at capacity and mistrust hampering containment efforts. New cases have been confirmed in Haut-Uele and Tshopo, raising the outbreak’s regional footprint.
The Taliban-era ban on girls' secondary education persists as multiple reports show rising suicides and personal tolls among Afghan women. New investigations quantify deaths and ongoing suppression, while international condemnation continues amid economic and health concerns.
A glacier collapse in the Himalayas has triggered floods and widespread destruction in Nepal and China’s Tibet region. Authorities report rising death tolls, thousands missing, and ongoing rescue operations as hydropower sites are targeted by the disaster.
Protests erupt across Syria after the government raises diesel prices by up to 40% and petrol by about 25-28%, citing global costs and an overhaul at Baniyas refinery. Authorities say prices are temporary, with a plan to restart small refineries to meet demand while subsidies target heating and essential sectors. The protests reflect soaring living costs and widespread poverty.
A six-storey building in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa collapses after being damaged in the war, killing at least 12 and injuring many others. Rescue teams, including Gazan Civil Defence and international partners, are searching for more victims beneath the rubble as concerns over shelter, winter risk, and safety rise.