Global Issues

UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (IPS) - During a solidarity visit to Lebanon, the UN chief announced a flash appeal of USD 308.3 million to support humanitarian operations there in the wake of escalated fighting. Read the full story, “UN Launches 300 Million Dollar Humanitarian Appeal for Lebanon”, on globalissues.org →

AL-AZRAQ, SYRIA, March 13 (IPS) - In the Al-Azraq camp in northern Syria, 10-year-old Abeer Al-Qaddour sits, browsing a colourful book with intense focus and curiosity. Nearby stands a bus, elegantly inscribed with the words ‘The Cultural Bus’. Read the full story, “Syria’s Mobile Cultural Bus: Championing Cultural Justice, Delivering Art and Literature to Children of War”, on globalissues.org →

MOSCOW, March 13 (IPS) - Professor Jude Osakwe—a Nigerian scholar at the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) and Continental Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Africa (NIDOAF)—has reiterated the absolute truth over Reparations for Africa, noting that African governments have consistently expressed only ’emotional solidarity’ over Reparations instead of tackling and addressing, with seriousness, this pertinent issue within the context of diplomacy. Read the full story, “Why Does African Leadership Lack Coordination on Reparations?”, on globalissues.org →

UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (IPS) - Across the world, women remain vastly under-represented in political leadership, with the most powerful decisions still overwhelmingly made by men. In 2026, only 28 countries are led by a woman Head of State or Government, while 101 countries have never had a woman leader, according to the latest data released by Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women. Read the full story, “Only 1 in 7 Countries is Led by a Woman – as Global Political Power Remains Dominated by Men”, on globalissues.org →

Escalating hostilities across the Middle East continue to drive civilian casualties, mass displacement and mounting humanitarian needs. Fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border has intensified, while millions across the region face growing risks from disrupted health services, overcrowded shelters and strained aid operations. UN agencies warn that children and vulnerable families are bearing the brunt as the conflict deepens and regional stability remains under severe pressure. Stay with us for live updates from across the UN system. App users can follow coverage here.Read the full story, “MIDDLE EAST LIVE 13 March: Displacement and civilian casualties mount across region”, on globalissues.org →

As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel. Read the full story, “Middle East war: Women in Lebanon forced to give birth on roadside”, on globalissues.org →

KABUL, March 12 (IPS) - In the bone-chilling Afghanistan winter, a woman was dragged into a public square early this year and publicly lashed for a crime she may or not have committed. According to the ruling handed by the Taliban Supreme Court, the woman and the male culprit who was jointly accused of extra-marital affair received 30 lashes each and a one-year suspended prison sentence. The sentence was carried out in the presence of several local officials and residents in a province whose name is left out to protect the victim. Read the full story, “Public Flogging in Afghanistan Strips Women of Dignity”, on globalissues.org →

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan & SHRINGAR, India, March 12 (IPS) - Global wildlife is facing a deepening crisis as the latest United Nations assessment warns that nearly half of the world’s migratory species are in decline due to human activity, habitat destruction, and climate change. Read the full story, “One in Four Migratory Species Under Threat, But Conservation Efforts Can Reap Rewards”, on globalissues.org →

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, March 12 (IPS) - The US/Israeli war on Iran might be like messing with a hornets’ nest, spreading fear and chaos all around. The Israeli government claimed that the war was a “preventive” measure to address an immediate threat of Iran constructing a nuclear bomb. However, this war has obviously been meticulously planned over a long period of time and it now seemed to be the right time to put this plan into action. Read the full story, “The Implausible Regime Change in Iran and How the War Affects the World”, on globalissues.org →

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, USA, March 12 (IPS) - As birthrates continue to decline in many industrialized countries, anxious governments are running out of schemes to keep women procreating. Read the full story, “The Most Appropriate Response to Falling Birthrates? Embrace Them”, on globalissues.org →