Week in Review

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Week in Review 5 April 2025

Catch up on this week's must-read stories It's been a terrible week for the long-suffering civilians of Myanmar who faced the shock and aftershocks of deadly earthquakes, that only added to the suffering and displacement already underway through months of brutal civil conflict between the military junta and opposition fighters. We were able to connect with and interview several of the key humanitarian workers from UN agencies on the ground, who gave us the latest updates on the frantic aid effort. From Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory we provided extensive coverage and reporting of the systematic killing by Israeli forces of a group of humanitarian workers on the outskirts of Rafah, with calls from senior UN officials for justice and accountability. "They were humanitarians. They wore emblems. They should have been protected," the Palestinian Red Crescent Society told a press conference on Friday at UN Headquarters. We continued to cover the upheavals in DR Congo, Sudan and Haiti and we featured one Ukrainian designer's extraordinary attempt to fashion something beautiful out of a deadly legacy of war: turning the twisted metal remnants of unexploded bombs into fine jewellery.

Gaza: Paramedic still missing after aid worker killings, Palestinian Red Crescent Society calls for answers The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on Friday called for urgent answers over the whereabouts of a missing paramedic, coupled with a full independent investigation into the killing of 15 humanitarian workers in Gaza on 23 March.  Read more Peace and Security INTERVIEW: Myanmar 'an emergency within an emergency', UN warns As Myanmar grapples with the aftermath of a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, its already fragile healthcare system is buckling under the intense strain. Read more Humanitarian Aid 'Every piece tells a story': Bombs to beauty, from Gaza to Ukraine What happens to bombs after they land? Some explode. Some don't, leaving behind a deadly legacy of war, but now some of the remnants of conflict and devastation are being turned into wearable messages of peace. Read more Culture and Education 'Without funding we can't meet the needs of the people of Myanmar': WFP Following last Friday's massive earthquake in Myanmar, UN humanitarians are on the ground to support survivors and affected communities. The World Food Programme (WFP) started its first distributions in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, within 48 hours of the quake. It is also on the ground at the epicentre in Sagiang – and in Myanmar's second city of Mandalay - assisting thousands of families in desperate need. But the UN needs much more funding from the international community to address the enormous needs, as WFP's Country Director Michael Dunford tells UN News's Vibhu Mishra. Click here to read the text story. Read more UN Interviews Tariffs: Job protectors or trade killers? The word "tariff" has been catapulted from the business pages to the headlines over the last few months, as major economies impose or threaten them on other nations. But tariffs are not just a blunt weapon to be used in geopolitical brinkmanship: they can, if used effectively, help poorer countries develop their economies. Read more Economic Development Sudan: Suffering continues amid massive destruction across Khartoum The people of Sudan are trapped in siege-like conditions "with no escape, no hope, and often forced to face unspeakable abuse," a senior official with the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday in Geneva.  Read more Humanitarian Aid Myanmar quake: Airstrikes persist as UN pushes aid efforts Amid ongoing military airstrikes and growing humanitarian needs following last week's 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, the UN has intensified calls for immediate, unhindered aid access to assist millions affected by the disaster. Read more Humanitarian Aid DR Congo: Armed violence displaces thousands as cholera outbreak worsens Ongoing violence in North and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to kill, injure and displace civilians, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned.  Read more Humanitarian Aid AI's $4.8 trillion future: UN warns of widening digital divide without urgent action Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on course to become a $4.8 trillion global market by 2033 – roughly the size of Germany's economy – but unless urgent action is taken, its benefits may remain in the hands of a privileged few, a new UN report warns.   Read more Economic Development UN condemns killing of 1,000 people in Gaza since ceasefire collapse UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed grave concern on Wednesday over the human toll resulting from the intensified hostilities in Gaza.   Read more Peace and Security 'Attacks on aid workers must end,' Security Council told Two senior UN officials appealed in the Security Council on Wednesday for an end to attacks against humanitarians and personnel working for the global organization.  Read more Peace and Security Guterres calls for greater equality and inclusion as world marks Autism Awareness Day Although people with autism are making enormous contributions to societies across the globe, they still face significant challenges.  Read more Health Looking beyond GDP to reach the Sustainable Development Goals Countries should consider looking beyond Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, as the key measure of economic growth to achieve the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN policymakers have suggested.    Read more Economic Development

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