When the pastor began to weep, Cade Jefferson, the leader of VOM's work in the Middle East and North Africa, wasn't quite sure how to respond. He had just explained to the pastor how The Voice of the Martyrs comes alongside persecuted Christians and how the ministry was ready to help should a member
Recent reporting and curated coverage across every beat we cover.
. HIGHLIGHTS Nearly 9 million people in South Sudan will require food assistance between June and September 2026. Escalating conflict continues to drive displacement and disrupt humanitarian operations across South Sudan. Six humanitarian workers killed as conflict displaces communities and disrupts
. Situation Report No. 24Earthquakes in Venezuela17 July 2026Time: 8:00 pm Highlights Following the 24 June earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 (18:00 local time), authorities report 1,331 aftershocks. Official toll: 5,069 people dead and 16,740 injured. An additional appeal for US$299 million was
. The thirteenth Situation Report provides an update on IOM’s response to the 24 June earthquakes in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, covering the period from 15 to 16 July. Highlights Between 15 and 16 July, IOM expanded its multisectoral response in transitory camps and affected communities i
The European Parliament condemned Pakistan on July 7 for its violation of human rights, citing a 13-year-old Christian Pakistani girl who is still fighting for her freedom from the 30-year-old Muslim man who abducted her. Maria Shahbaz was kidnapped in July 2025 by Shehryar Ahmad, who forced her to
Countries: Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico . KEY FIGURES 4.9K people dead after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on 24 June 26.5K people forcibly returned to Haiti in June 2026 33K people affected by Guatemala’s rainy season VENEZUELA: EARTHQUAKE Response effort
By Pieter Vermeulen, ICC Board Member, as part of a series, “Persecuted but not Forsaken.” By the time we come to the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the question of persecution had taken on a new and deeply unsettling form. In earlier centuries, believers were often opposed by openly pagan rulers, hos
Following the August 2024 ousting of Bangladesh’s longtime leader Sheikh Hasina, the country fell into a power vacuum. Amid the ensuing upheaval, some people in this nation of 175 million (91% Muslim, 8% Hindu, and about half of 1% Christian) seized the opportunity to attack religious minorities. “C
Ed Young Sr.’s former church, Second Baptist in Houston, won a significant victory in a lawsuit brought by current and former congregants last year that claimed leadership deceptively changed bylaws to have Young’s son, Ben, succeed him as lead pastor without a public vote. A Texas judge issued an o
. This advocacy brief was developed by the IASC Gender Reference Group (GRG) to promote a gender-integrated Ebola response. It synthesizes evidence on the disproportionate impact of the outbreak on women and girls, highlighting the gender-specific risks, including heightened gender-based violence, d
. The article highlights key insights from the Symposium on the Responsible Use of Technology in Humanitarian Action, held in Beijing in December 2025, presenting shared dilemmas, emerging challenges, and avenues for continued engagement. “Humanitarian challenges today are global, and so must be the
. As significant humanitarian needs persist in Venezuela following the devastating June 24 earthquakes, Canadians are once again stepping up to support those affected. Today, the Honourable Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development), announced that Canada will increase its dollar-
A US federal judge ruled that Saeed Abedini, a pastor who was formerly imprisoned in Iran, must return his 5-year-old daughter to her mother, an Iranian refugee living in Turkey, ending their international custody battle. The child’s mother, Niloofar Aragh, filed a complaint in federal court last mo
. The global hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), has warned that the number of people projected to face crisis levels of hunger between October this year and next February could surge to 3.72 million people – about 10% of the population [2]. About 502,000 childre
. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - July 17, 2026 – Today, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), the Government of Japan, the African Union Commission and partners launched a new Multi-Purpose Hub in Addis Ababa to provide protection, counselling, trusted information, referr
. The global hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), has warned that the number of people projected to face crisis levels of hunger between October this year and next February could surge to 3.72 million people – about 10% of the population [2]. About 502,000 childre
. Today, he works with families as a community volunteer in Kigonze, a settlement for internally displaced people on the outskirts of Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province. From the earliest days of the outbreak, he engaged with residents to answer the many questions raised by the disease. In this ea
. The 42-day countdown, equivalent to two maximum incubation periods for Bundibugyo virus disease, is the established phase before an outbreak can be declared over, provided no new confirmed cases are detected during this period. Uganda declared the outbreak on 15 May 2026 and as of 16 July 2026, 20
.
. Highlights Continued military operations, new displacement and deteriorating access further limited humanitarian assistance and heightened protection concerns across Gaza. Agricultural recovery is at risk as animal feed shortages and soaring prices threaten livestock survival across the Gaza Strip
.
. GENEVA – I'm calling from Kosti, having just returned from a one-day trip to El Obeid city to witness the humanitarian situation on the ground. We have been providing humanitarian assistance in El Obeid, even before this current crisis, and yesterday what I saw was a city that is becoming the epic
Countries: Namibia, Brazil .97 million) contribution from the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil to help improve food security and production, strengthen livelihoods, improve nutrition, and build resilient food systems across Namibia, reinforcing a partnership that began in 2019. The fu
.
Countries: Sudan, Chad .
. OPERATIONAL CONTEXT • June 2026 recorded the highest monthly civilian casualties since April 2022, surpassing the previous record set in May 2026. The UN HRMMU recorded at least 293 civilians killed and 1,990 injured this month alone. In total, 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 injured in the
.
.
. Et la semaine dernière encore, sur les routes désertes de Djibouti, je me suis rappelé que l’humanité est un choix que nous faisons. Chaque jour. Ici, chaque jour, le personnel et les volontaires du Croissant-Rouge de Djibouti font vivre l’humanité auprès de celles et ceux qui en ont le plus besoi
.-U. afin de soutenir les familles et les communautés touchées par les séismes dévastateurs qui ont frappé le Venezuela le 24 juin, provoquant d’importantes pertes en vies humaines, des déplacements de population et des destructions à travers le pays. L’Appel de l’OIM pour la réponse au séisme au Ve
Free weekly digest. Local news that actually matters — no spam, no clickbait, easy unsubscribe.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We never sell your data.