UN News Service Emergency meeting of the HRC on the situation in the city of El Obeid and its surroundings in the context of the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Top news of the day | Friday: Ukraine, Sudan, El Niño, Lake Chad Basin UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the Human Rights Council heard a report on Ukraine, Sudan’s El Obeid is subject to “continuous” attacks, the El Niño phenomenon can lead to extreme heat, the UN is concerned about the deteriorating situation in the Lake Chad basin.
Strikes on Ukraine
The number of dead and wounded among the civilian population of Ukraine continues to grow. This was stated by UN chief human rights activist Volker Türk, presenting his report to the UN Human Rights Council on Friday. “Today is a day of mourning in Kyiv. The horrific attack by Russian forces on Thursday night killed at least 30 civilians and injured at least 99 others,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recalled. He called for increased efforts to achieve sustainable peace. According to Turk, bringing those responsible to justice for violations of international law is a necessary condition for peace.
War in Sudan
Sudan’s war could enter an even more dangerous phase, with the strategic town of El Obeid facing “incessant” attacks, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned. Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, Turk called on world leaders to take urgent measures to stop the fighting. Mona Rishwamy, a member of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission to Sudan, noted that messages and videos are being circulated on social networks indicating a build-up of the military presence of the Rapid Reaction Force and preparations for entering the city. heat and other dangerous weather phenomena due to the intensification of the El Niño phenomenon. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported this on Friday. The natural phenomenon El Niño is characterized by an increase in ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. WMO urged governments to take this warning into account when preparing for possible extreme weather conditions to protect people and their livelihoods.
Lake Chad Basin
United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Deputy Director for West and Central Africa Andrew Wylie said UNHCR was concerned about the worsening situation in the countries of the Lake Chad basin. He noted that the security situation has been deteriorating since 2024, and since January of this year the negative dynamics have intensified. He said a rise in attacks by armed groups on civilians, as well as crime and climate shocks are forcing people to flee their homes. There are about 3.5 million internally displaced people in the region, of which approximately 323 thousand are refugees