Global Issues

UNITED NATIONS, April 2 (IPS) - Global human migration is at record-high levels, as the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that roughly 1 in 8 people—about one billion individuals—are on the move. Many of these migrants and refugees face harsh living conditions and heightened challenges, such as poverty, insecurity, and limited access to basic services. With the number of international migrants having doubled since 1990, new findings from WHO call for expanding health systems to meet the growing scale of needs. Read the full story, “WHO: Migrants and Refugees Face Rising Health Risks as Global Systems Fall Short”, on globalissues.org →

Relying on foreign aid is bad for Africa’s health and it must stop if the continent is to enjoy health security. Read the full story, “It Is Time For Africa to Fund Its Health Security”, on globalissues.org →

CIVICUS discusses Italy’s restrictive immigration policies with Eleonora Celoria, a researcher at FIERI (Forum Internazionale ed Europeo di Ricerche sull’Immigrazione), a research centre on migration, and a member of the Association for Legal Studies on Immigration (ASGI), an Italian legal organisation that defends migrants’ and asylum seekers’ rights through advocacy, public awareness and strategic litigation. Read the full story, “ITALY: ‘White Supremacist Concepts Are Entering Mainstream Political Discourse on Migration’”, on globalissues.org →

UNITED NATIONS, April 2 (IPS) - UN Member States made progress toward the UN80 initiative by adopting a resolution that would implement a mandate review, which is set to pave the way to strengthen the process of mandate creation and implementation. Read the full story, “UN80: UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution on Mandate Review”, on globalissues.org →

YAOUNDE, Cameroon, April 2 (IPS) - The WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), which took place from 26 to 30 March 2026 in Cameroon, was reported as a collapse resulting from the stand-off between Brazil and the United States on the extension of the e-commerce moratorium. This is one screen shot of a bigger unfolding story where the US is attempting to enforce its will on the organization, while some are resisting. Read the full story, “MC14 Exposed US Heavy Hand at the WTO; Developing Countries Need Each Other”, on globalissues.org →

Deadly new strikes reported across the Middle East overnight and Thursday rattled energy markets and pushed crude oil prices up to $107 in early trading. Hopes dwindled of a quick end to the conflict as President Trump spoke of another "two to three weeks" of attacks, alongside "ongoing" discussions with Tehran. Civilians across the region continue to suffer misery and displacement. The UN chief told reporters at UN Headquarters the conflict ‘is already being felt everywhere,” and “the spiral of destruction must stop”. Follow live coverage from the Security Council here. App users can follow coverage here.Read the full story, “MIDDLE EAST LIVE 2 April: Civilian impact deepens as UN chief says ‘we must find a peaceful way out’ before region is engulfed by war”, on globalissues.org →

The ongoing crisis in the Middle East is exposing a central vulnerability in the global economy: the dependence on fossil fuels flowing through regions affected by conflict, a situation which is strengthening the UN’s case for a faster transition to cheaper, more resilient renewable power.Read the full story, “Middle East crisis exposes global energy fault line as UN urges shift to renewables”, on globalissues.org →

The Middle East crisis has lurched into its second month, prompting UN Secretary-General António Guterres to issue a stark warning on Thursday morning that the world is “on the edge of a wider war” with catastrophic global implications.Read the full story, “Guterres warns of ‘wider war’ as Middle East conflict enters second month”, on globalissues.org →

South Sudan is evolving into a catastrophic human rights and humanitarian crisis, UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts warned on Thursday.Read the full story, “World News in Brief: South Sudan rights, opioid guidelines update, DR Congo crisis continues”, on globalissues.org →

KAKAMEGA, Kenya, April 1 (IPS) - They call this land Bushiangala. Gold has been mined here for nearly a century. In 1931, colonial prospectors arrived after traces were found in the nearby Yala River, setting off a rush that changed this quiet corner of western Kenya. Read the full story, “Artisanal Miners in Western Kenya Move Away From Mercury”, on globalissues.org →