As billions continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling halfway across the world.

Read the full story, “Air pollution is on the rise – but not everywhere, says UN weather agency”, on globalissues.org →

Sexual violence is rife in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but urgently needed assistance for survivors has had to be halted as sweeping funding cuts bite, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, warned on Friday.

Read the full story, “DR Congo crisis: Funding cuts curtail assistance to victims of sexual violence”, on globalissues.org →

Women make up half of the world’s population but receive only 26 per cent of media coverage, according to the latest UN-backed Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) report, the world’s largest study on gender representation in news media.

Read the full story, “The missing half: The urgent need for more women’s representation in the media”, on globalissues.org →

As the nearly 30-month-long conflict in Sudan between rival militaries grinds on, looting, burning, and shelling continues to destroy livelihoods and hope.

Read the full story, “‘A war of atrocities’ – UN human rights investigators warn Sudanese civilians are paying the highest price”, on globalissues.org →

Speaking to journalists in the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Friday, UN chief António Guterres rounded off the first ever visit to the Pacific nation by a sitting Secretary-General, paying tribute to the country’s unbroken 50-year run as a multilingual democracy – which is now beset by major economic and environmental challenges.

Read the full story, “UN chief hails ‘remarkable example’ of Papua New Guinea as he concludes historic trip”, on globalissues.org →