Kazakhstan vows to fast-track AZAL crash investigation amid rising diplomatic tensions
Kazakhstan has vowed to speed up its investigation into the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) crash near Aktau, as mounti...
As Sudan’s brutal conflict enters its third year, the UN’s migration agency has called for coordinated international action to prevent regional destabilization and address one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, over 11.3 million people have been displaced within Sudan, including 8.6 million who have fled their homes in the past two years. An additional 3.9 million have crossed into neighboring countries, placing immense pressure on fragile host nations such as Chad, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
“The war has pushed Sudan to the brink,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said in a statement. “Thousands of lives have been lost to violence, families torn apart, and the hopes and aspirations of millions shattered in the face of starvation, disease, and the complete collapse of the economy.”
Pope emphasized that even as violence persists, many displaced families are attempting to return home, only to find complete destruction. She called for immediate humanitarian assistance as well as long-term investments to enable safe returns and community recovery.
According to IOM, more than 30 million people — nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s population — are in urgent need of aid. The agency warned of worsening conditions, particularly in the Darfur region, where the onset of rains could obstruct humanitarian access and further complicate relief operations.
To date, IOM has provided shelter, clean water, sanitation, and health services to nearly four million people. However, the agency’s 2025 response plan is currently just 10% funded.
Without swift financial support, IOM warned, critical operations including displacement tracking and lifesaving aid could be halted, potentially fueling broader instability across the region.
“The people of Sudan cannot afford to be kept waiting,” Pope said. “The international community must deliver a clear and united message: the people of Sudan are not forgotten.”
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery on Monday following an Iranian drone strike, an industry source told Reuters as Tehran retaliated across the Gulf after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian targets over the weekend.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. military has enough stockpiled weapons to fight wars "forever"; in a social media post late on Monday. The remarks came hours before conflict in Iran and the Middle East entered its fourth day.
Türkiye raised its security level for Turkish-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to Level 3 on Sunday (2 March). The development follows Iranian restrictions on shipping after U.S. and Israeli strikes and confirmation of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death.
Strikes across the Middle East are intensifying, fuelling travel disruption, driving up global energy prices and forcing diplomatic missions to shut their doors as tensions continue to rise.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States has a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions and is capable of sustaining military action indefinitely, as the conflict with Iran entered its fourth day.
The United Nations has called for an investigation into a deadly attack on a girls’ primary school in Iran, which Iranian officials say has killed more than 100 children. The U.S. has said its forces “would not” deliberately target a school.
U.S. first lady, Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict on Monday (2 March), a move criticised by Iran as hypocritical following U.S. and Israeli strikes that triggered a UN warning about risks to children.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 3rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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