© WMO/F. Abdeladim Climate change is contributing to droughts around the world. Top news of the day | Wednesday: Lebanon, famine, human rights activists, drought UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the situation in Lebanon remains unstable, experts predict worsening hunger in “hot spots”, attacks on human rights defenders have reached record levels, June 17 is World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
The situation in Lebanon
Since the escalation of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on March 2, 247 children have been killed and another 992 injured, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported. This equates to an average of 12 deaths or injuries per day. The humanitarian situation in Lebanon remains fragile, despite the recent US-Iran agreement and subsequent signs of regional de-escalation. Peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon continue to detect rocket launches and Israeli military activity, the UN press service said on Wednesday.
Hot spots of famine
Between June and November 2026, food insecurity is expected to further worsen in 13 hunger hotspots. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) are warning about this today. The new edition of the biannual Hunger Hot Spots report identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine as the most critical hotspots in terms of the extent and severity of hunger.
Defending human rights
Attacks against human rights defenders and activists reached record levels last year. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warns about this today. Preliminary data shows that around 950 human rights defenders, journalists and trade unionists around the world were killed or forcibly disappeared in 2025. This figure is more than double the level of ten years ago.
Desertification and drought
Today the UN celebrates World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. This year’s event is dedicated to grazing lands and livestock farmers. In his message, Secretary-General António Guterres noted that grasslands cover half of the Earth’s land surface, providing vital food and fiber to more than two billion people. However, up to fifty percent of the world’s rangelands are currently degraded or at risk of degradation. The head of the UN called for changing this situation.