Decades of gains overshadowed as Asia-Pacific falls behind on sustainable development targets

The Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2026, released by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on Wednesday, finds that at the current pace the region will miss 103 of 117 measurable targets – or 88 per cent – across the 17 global goals. Adopted by world leaders […]

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The Ghost in the Machine: “Keenadu” Malware Infiltrates Global Android Supply Chain

LONDON — A sophisticated new strain of Android malware, dubbed Keenadu, has been discovered lurking deep within the firmware of thousands of devices, marking a significant escalation in mobile supply chain attacks. According to a new deep-dive analysis by Kaspersky, the backdoor has already compromised over 13,000 devices worldwide, with the highest concentration of infections […]

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Floods, drought and insecurity drive acute hunger for 7.5 million in Pakistan

At the top end, in the period from last December to March 2026 around 1.25 million people will be in ‘emergency’ levels of acute food insecurity, characterised by large food gaps and high levels of acute malnutrition –  the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report revealed.  Immediate lifesaving assistance is needed to prevent a “catastrophe” for the over a million people in emergency levels of food insecurity.    Drivers of crisis   […]

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UNICEF calls for release of children detained during Iran protests

The unrest erupted in late December 2025 in cities across Iran over soaring inflation, rising food prices and the collapse of the national currency, resulting in a deadly and widespread security crackdown. In a statement on Thursday, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Edouard Beigbeder said the agency was “deeply concerned […]

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Grain ATMs and hunger maps: AI innovations spotlighted at UN agency showcase in India

From biometric grain dispensers and smart warehouses to crisis-mapping platforms and humanitarian communication avatars, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) showcase at the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit demonstrated how data and machine learning are being applied to strengthen food and nutrition systems at scale.  Among the most visible innovations is Annapurti – a “grain ATM” – that allows beneficiaries of public food programmes to authenticate with biometrics and collect […]

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World News in Brief: Conflict deepens hunger crisis in South Sudan, restrictions hinder aid delivery in Gaza, UN child rights envoy concludes first visit to Syria

About 60 per cent of the population – some 1.2 million people – is already acutely food insecure, according to WFP. Food assistance is being transported along river routes, but rising insecurity is hampering humanitarian operations and threatening to drive hunger to unprecedented levels. WFP teams are registering newly displaced families in Canal Pigi and other […]

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‘No corner of Sudan is safe’: UN officials warn of famine and atrocities as war intensifies

“Just over a month ago, Sudan reached a horrific milestone: 1,000 days of a brutal war that has nearly destroyed the third largest country in Africa,” Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs said.   It has been “1,000 days of staggering violence and unimaginable suffering” and “1,000 days of total impunity for the perpetrators of […]

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Let this be the time that the world comes together to end the cycle of bloodshed in Sudan: UK Statement at the UN Security Council

Two weeks ago, I stood in Adré, on the Chad-Sudan border.  A camp of over 140,000 people who have fled Sudan’s conflict – and 85% of them are women and children. Women I met who are teachers, nurses, students, small businesswomen, market traders, mothers back home but whose lives and whose families are ripped apart, I spoke to a […]

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Security Council LIVE: Sudan in focus amid genocide warnings in Darfur

The UN Security Council meets this morning to discuss Sudan as the war nears its third year, with fighting intensifying across multiple regions and civilians facing deepening humanitarian catastrophe. Senior UN political and humanitarian officials are expected to brief ministers on a conflict marked by shifting front lines, advanced weaponry and widespread displacement. The meeting […]

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Safer Streets, Greater Fear – London driven by Social Media

How dangerous is London really? Violent videos and posts about ‘London crime’ dominate social media, reinforcing the image of the British capital – a narrative that is exploited politically by right-wing politicians. According to surveys, more and more Britons therefore consider London to be unsafe. But the figures tell a different story: violent crime has […]

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