Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Top News of the Day | Thursday: Gaza, Ukraine, USA, UN Security Council UN
Top news of the day in the UN and in the world: humanitarian crisis in Gaza, shelling of Kyiv, attack in New Orleans, new members of the Security Council.
Situation in Gaza
The humanitarian situation in northern Gaza continues to deteriorate, with aid deliveries to besieged areas having failed for 12 weeks, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency (UNRWA) warned that heavy rains had flooded shelters in Deir al-Balah. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini also reported another attack in al-Mawasi, leaving dozens dead and wounded. The area had previously been designated as an evacuation route. According to Lazzarini, this is another reminder that there are no safe areas in Gaza.
Children of Ukraine
On the first day of the year, children in Kyiv were awakened by alarms and explosions as the Ukrainian capital came under yet another shelling, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported. Since the war escalated in 2022, at least 2,472 children have been killed or injured, according to UNICEF. In addition, at least 1,548 educational and 712 medical institutions in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed.
New Orleans
UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemns the attack in New Orleans, where a driver drove into a crowd of people celebrating the New Year. This statement was made by the press service of the UN chief. At least 15 people were reported killed and more than 30 injured in the incident. Guterres expressed his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to the Government and people of Louisiana and the United States. The Secretary-General also wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
Security Council
On 1 January, the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council passed to Algeria. On Thursday, a ceremony was held at UN Headquarters to plant the flags of the five new Security Council member states elected for 2025-2026: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia. The Council consists of 15 states: five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members, who are elected for a term of two years.