Australia on Wednesday will become the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. The ban is being closely watched by other countries considering similar age-based measures as concerns mount over the effects of social media on children’s health and safety. Below…
New York — As humanitarian crises around the world outpace the funding available to address them, senior United Nations officials today rallied the international community to urgently mobilize more support for the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), at an annual pledging event marking the Fund’s 20th anniversary. “The humanitarian system’s tank is running on…
Plastic waste is an internationally traded commodity, which can be recycled into reusable materials, whereas plastic litter is the pollution that results from untreated waste. PHOTO/Wikimedia Commons. By PATRICK MAYOYO [email protected] The ubiquitous plastic beverage bottle makes up about half of plastic waste collected for recycling in the U.S. Most recycled plastic is processed domestically,…
In this photo illustration, iPhone screens display various social media apps on the screens on February 9, 2025 in Bath, England. Anna Barclay | Getty Images News | Getty Images Australia on Wednesday became the first country to formally bar users under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms, a move expected…
New York — Surging conflicts, rising hunger, global funding cuts, and collapsing basic services are driving humanitarian needs for children to extreme levels worldwide. As UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children 2026 (HAC) appeal is launched today, US$7.66 billion is urgently required to provide life-saving assistance to 73 million children – including 37 million girls and…
Statement by Maureen Magee, Global Director of Field Operations, at the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), commenting on the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) for 2026: “2026 is set to stretch humanitarian responses to their limit as they seek to support people with the most severe needs around the world. “Next year, 239 million people will be…
Nairobi — Montran has appointed Wohoro Ndohho as Regional Executive Director for its Africa operations as the payments and capital-markets technology firm moves to deepen its presence in a region pushing to modernise financial infrastructure. Ndohho, who has over 20 years of experience in finance, infrastructure and investment advisory, will be based in Nairobi and…
UN Environment Programme Executive Director, Inger Andersen, with UN Secretary General, António Guterres, during a past event. PHOTO/FILE. By PATRICK MAYOYO [email protected] The seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) opened today in Nairobi, bringing together over 6,000 participants from more than 180 countries to address the escalating environmental crises threatening the planet….
The world is witnessing an alarming erosion of respect for international law, with conflicts increasingly targeting civilians and heightening the risk of atrocity crimes, warns the United Nations’ newly appointed Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide. In his first interview since assuming the post in August, Chaloka Beyani reflected on the origins of his…
A new report from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the NYU Center for Environmental and Animal Protection (CEAP) warns that the current UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) systematically neglect animal welfare and health — a gap undermining progress on human health, environmental protection and social equity. Despite growing international support for a One Health…
