Three-quarters of Earth’s land is significantly drier since the 1990s
People living in drylands doubled to 2.3 billion, more than a quarter of the world population, in the past three decades.
South Sudan
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U.N. aid chief condemns record-breaking year of ‘bullets and bombs’
The U.N. says the war in Gaza is the single-biggest factor in the deaths of 281 humanitarian aid workers this year.
For 466 million children, extreme heat has doubled in two generations
Many of these children lack any modern means to endure the soaring temps that particularly afflict eight African countries.
Disease, hunger, violence threaten millions of refugees in Africa
WHO warns disease and hunger are at alarming levels in the Congo, where almost 10 million people are on the move.
Uneven post-pandemic recovery widens gap between rich and poor
Europe dominates the top rankings as development in half of the world’s poorest nations falls below pre-pandemic levels.
Hunger and starvation menace as warring generals tear apart Sudan
The U.N. Security Council demanded an immediate end to fighting in Sudan during Ramadan, which begins Sunday.
U.N. and partners say US$4.1 billion in aid is needed for war-torn Sudan
The aid plan is meant to fund the work of 163 organizations inside Sudan and 83 others in refugee-hosting countries.
Global fractures spur summits of developing and non-aligned nations
Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war accelerated geopolitical tensions among major powers.
Reprisals against human rights defenders cited among 42 nations
A new report's evidence of threats and retaliation extends to 12 of the U.N. Human Rights Council's 47 member nations.
UN appeal seeks US$2.56B for humanitarian needs in Sudan
The fighting that broke out last month caused the ranks of those who need humanitarian aid and protection to swell to 24.6 million, or slightly more than half of Sudan's 49 million.
Human rights and aid concerns spike as waves of Sudanese flee
Most of Khartoum, Darfur and North Kordofan are too dangerous to operate in, the U.N. refugee agency said.
Human-induced climate change worsened Horn of Africa drought
Low rainfall and high evaporation rates 'would not have led to drought at all in a 1.2° C. cooler world,' scientists concluded.
Aid flows constrict and civilians in danger as Sudan descends into chaos
Sudan's unraveling forced humanitarian aid organizations, including those with staff killed by fighting, to suspend operations, despite millions of civilians in great need.
'Multiple challenges' undermine A.U.'s flagship peace plan for 2030
As the continent faces a raft of complications, the African Union's ambitious goal of tackling structural root causes and drivers of conflict for sustainable development is in doubt.
High stakes for COP27 summit as climate becomes a health crisis too
Drought, floods, disease outbreaks and a global food crisis add pressure for real action at the U.N. climate summit in Egypt.
Hunger from climate, conflicts and rising prices hits developing world
With 50 million 'a step away from starvation,' humanitarian groups calculate a person dies of hunger every four seconds.