© UNICEF/A. M. Elfatih A destroyed primary school classroom in Khartoum state, Sudan. Top news of the day | Wednesday: Strait of Hormuz, attacks on schools, Afghanistan, BRICS UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: further escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, an increase in the number of attacks on educational institutions, repressive restrictions in Afghanistan, the UN Secretary General will take part in the BRICS summit in India.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz
The UN Secretary-General is concerned by reports of further escalation in and around the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, including attacks on commercial vessels and threats of further action targeting maritime and energy infrastructure. Navigation rights and freedom of navigation must be fully restored and respected in accordance with international law, the UN emphasizes. Antonio Guterres urges the parties to make full use of diplomatic channels and resolve differences through negotiations.
Attacks on the educational system
The scale of armed conflicts around the world continues to grow, and along with them, the number of attacks on educational institutions is growing at an alarming rate. The UN warns about this on the occasion of the International Day for Protection from Assault in Education. In 2025, 1,680 such attacks were recorded worldwide—33 percent more than the year before. In particular, according to the UN at the end of 2025, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 1,611 schools in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed, of which at least 339 were completely destroyed. Human Rights Watch Volker Türk called for pressure on the de facto authorities in Afghanistan to comply with international obligations. According to him, repressive measures are becoming tougher every month. The UN’s top human rights defender deplored restrictions that severely limit Afghan women and girls’ access to education and the labor market, freedom of movement and participation in public life, and exclude them from decision-making structures. BRICS summit in New Delhi, India. António Guterres will speak at a public session on inclusive global growth on 13 September. The UN chief is expected to emphasize the need to create new and reform existing multilateral institutions, including the Bretton Woods system and the Security Council. The Secretary General also has a number of bilateral meetings planned with leaders participating in the summit, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.