© Unsplash/iggii Havana, capital of Cuba. Top news of the day | Friday: Ukraine, Cuba, Middle East, press freedom UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the delivery of aid to settlements in the east and south of Ukraine, the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Cuba, difficulties in delivering aid against the backdrop of the Middle East crisis, World Press Freedom Day.
Aid to Ukraine
Since Monday, six humanitarian convoys from the UN and partner organizations have delivered aid to front-line settlements in eastern and southern Ukraine, including in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkov and Kherson regions. Four thousand people received food, generators, hygiene items, clothing and first aid kits. Meanwhile, over the past 24 hours, attacks and fighting across Ukraine have killed at least two civilians and injured 58 others. Residential buildings, a school, railway infrastructure and shops were damaged.
Humanitarian situation in Cuba
The humanitarian situation in Cuba continues to deteriorate as the energy crisis worsens. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports serious problems in the health sector. More than 96 thousand patients, including 11 thousand children, are waiting for operations that cannot be performed due to lack of electricity. Many medical procedures have been postponed. The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is providing food assistance to the population, but delivery is difficult under current conditions.
Middle East Crisis
Humanitarian organizations around the world are facing challenges as the crisis in the Middle East disrupts global supply chains and impedes the delivery of aid. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the consequences of the crisis are already reaching far beyond the region. This is especially acute in Asia and Africa, where humanitarian actors are facing soaring costs and logistical disruptions.
World Press Freedom Day
Eighty-five percent of crimes against journalists remain unsolved and unpunished. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recalled this on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated on the third of May. In recent years, more and more journalists have been killed in combat zones, he noted. The UN chief also added that any freedom depends on freedom of the press, and called for the protection of journalists and their rights.