Middle East

People in rural parts of Yemen are suffering from extreme hunger.
UNDP Yemen

Yemen: ‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ as first nationwide truce in six years continues

14 April 2022
Peace and Security

A UN brokered two-month renewable truce between the warring parties in Yemen is holding, Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council on Thursday, providing “light at the end of the tunnel”, and the possibility of a lasting peace. 

The tanker FSO Safer, in the Red Sea off Yemen.
© Marine Traffic

UN unveils plan to prevent stricken oil tanker disaster off Yemen coast

8 April 2022
Climate and Environment

Critical funding and timely action are needed to prevent a decaying tanker anchored close to Yemen’s coastline from sparking a major oil spill, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the country said on Friday in New York.

A family in the Al Dhale'e camp for people displaced by the conflict in Yemen.
YPN for UNOCHA

Commitment key to Yemen truce success: UN envoy

2 April 2022
Peace and Security

Commitment will be critical to the success of the two-month truce in Yemen that began on Saturday, the UN Special Envoy for the country, Hans Grundberg, has said.

Internally displaced family in an IDP site in Al-Dhale’e Governorate, Yemen.
© UNOCHA/Mahmoud Fadel-YPN

UN welcomes announcement of two-month truce in Yemen

1 April 2022
Peace and Security

A two-month truce in Yemen which goes into effect on Saturday must be a first step in ending the county’s devastating war, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on the eve of the ceasefire. 

Families fleeing escalating violence in northeast Syria.
© UNICEF/Delil Souleiman AFP Services

Syria: Rights experts call for humanitarian access to detained children

1 April 2022
Human Rights

Humanitarians must have full and unimpeded access to children arbitrarily held in detention centres in northeast Syria, a group of independent UN human rights experts said on Friday. 

Time lapse photo of Tel Aviv District, Israel. (file)
Unsplash/Igal Ness

Recent terrorist attacks in Israel undermine ‘prospects for peace’: Guterres

30 March 2022
Peace and Security

Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday night condemned recent terrorist attacks in Israel that have claimed the lives of at least 11 Israeli citizens.
 

A boy stands in the damaged interior of a building in Yemen. (file)
© UNOCHA/Giles Clarke

UN chief condemns attacks on civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia and Yemen

27 March 2022
Peace and Security

Recent escalation of the conflict in Yemen drew strong condemnation from Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday.

Internally displaced family in an IDP site in Al-Dhale’e Governorate, Yemen.
© UNOCHA/Mahmoud Fadel-YPN

Ukraine war: Middle East food prices soaring, as donor fatigue kicks in, Security Council hears

23 March 2022
Peace and Security

Amid growing donor fatigue and a brutal war in Ukraine that has diverted the world’s attention, the world must not forget millions of people in need across the Middle East and North Africa, the UN chief told the Security Council on Wednesday.

West Bank Israeli settlement of Har Gilo, located near Jerusalem. Photo: IRIN/Erica Silverman
Photo: IRIN/Erica Silverman

Wennesland condemns killing of 4 Israeli civilians, as Security Council hears ‘little progress’ is being made on settlements

22 March 2022
Peace and Security

Speakers in the Security Council on Tuesday denounced evictions and demolitions by Israeli authorities of Palestinian-owned properties, as the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, expressed regret that “little progress” has made by the sides in upholding obligations under the Council’s landmark resolution 2334.

Loay Elbasyouni played a part in history with the flight of NASA’s Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity.
Loay Elbasyouni

First Person: From Gaza to the Red Planet

20 March 2022
Culture and Education

Loay Elbasyouni is a Palestinian electrical engineer on the NASA team that designed Ingenuity, an innovative robotic helicopter that landed on Mars in 2021. He talks to UN News about his journey, from a UN-run school in the Gaza strip, to the US space agency.