Nearly half of Afghanistan’s population - more than 21 million people - needed humanitarian assistance in the first three months of 2026, according to the United Nations, yet aid agencies reached only 4.7 million people.
The 13th session of the World Urban Forum concluded in Baku on 22 May after six days of discussions focused on housing, climate resilience, urban governance and social inclusion, bringing together tens of thousands of participants from around the world to shape the future of sustainable cities.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya warned on Tuesday (19 May) that Moscow could retaliate against Baltic states if Ukraine launches military drones from that region. Latvia, the United States and Ukraine responded strongly during a UN Security Council meeting.
Lithuania on Wednesday issued an “air danger” warning urging residents to seek shelter and temporarily suspended operations at the capital’s airport amid fears that drones had entered the country’s airspace, as tensions between Russia and the Baltic states continue to escalate.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
The World Urban Forum (WUF) opens this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together governments, city leaders, urban planners, researchers and civil society to exchange ideas on how cities can become more inclusive, resilient and sustainable.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 18th of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The global housing crisis has reached what UN officials describe as “staggering” proportions, with nearly 2.8 billion people, around 40 per cent of the world’s population, lacking access to adequate housing, secure land, or basic services such as water and sanitation.
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for action on housing, sustainable development and resilient cities, as rapid urbanisation is placing pressure on infrastructure, services and living conditions.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Félicien Kabuga, one of the last remaining suspects linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has died in custody at the age of 93, a United Nations court said on Saturday.
Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus could become one of the world’s key strategic connectors in an emerging multipolar order.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency, has travelled to Baku to attend the 13th World Urban Forum, where climate change and safer cities will be discussed.
Baku is hosting the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), bringing together political leaders, urban planners, architects and development experts as cities worldwide face mounting pressure from climate change, rapid urbanisation and housing shortages.
Baku is preparing to host the World Urban Forum this weekend, with more than 32,000 participants from 180 countries expected to arrive in the Azerbaijani capital for the six-day event.
Foreign ministers from the expanded BRICS bloc gathered in New Delhi on Thursday (14 May) for a crucial two-day meeting overshadowed by the ongoing Iran war, internal tensions within the grouping and mounting fears over global energy supplies.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed five of eight suspected hantavirus cases linked to the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius. The U.N. health agency warned on Thursday (7 May) that more infections could emerge because of the virus’s long incubation period.
Representatives from the diplomatic community, the United Nations and international organisations gathered in Kabul on Wednesday ahead of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), set to take place in Baku from 17 to 22 May.
The United Nations has said that at least 21 people have been executed in Iran and more than 4,000 arrested since the outbreak of war involving the United States and Israel on 28 February.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 28th of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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