DR Congo Ebola outbreak becomes world’s second-largest ever
31/7/2026: The current outbreak of Ebola has proven unusually deadly, killing five times more people in its first three months than previous outbreaks had by the same stage. Health officials say the true scale of the epidemic remains unclear. The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment.
Source: DW
US withholds dues to UN, again
31/7/2026: Since President Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025, the US has yet to pay its share of the UN’s regular budget. The US owes $2.2 billion on administrative dues and another $1.8 billion for peacekeeping. The latest setback may have been provoked by US anger over reappointment of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Source: Devex
Uganda: crackdown on fundamental freedoms
30/7/2026: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has denounced the crackdown on dissent in Uganda. Since the general elections on 15 January 2026, repression has increased against all those perceived to oppose the Government, through enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment, and arbitrary arrest or detention.
Source: UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights
US finally moves to release $600 million to Gavi
29/7/2026: The US has moved to release funding to the Vaccine Alliance, the public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. This concludes a year-and-a-half of uncertainty for Gavi, following sceptical comments by US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Source: Devex
Without safeguards US‑Saudi nuclear deal risks proliferation
27/7/2026: It is unclear whether the landmark US-Saudi nuclear deal includes a condition to prohibit enrichment of uranium. Without this expected clause to restrain Saudi nuclear ambition, a nuclear arms race in the region becomes a greater risk.
Source: The Conversation
Global HIV response falters as resurgence looms
27/7/2026: A report by UNAIDS shows that reductions to international funding are likely to lead to a resurgence of the epidemic. Many low-income countries in Africa were more than 90% dependent on foreign aid for their HIV programmes. Without urgent action to meet the 2030 goals, more than 3 million could become infected with HIV by 2030.
Source: UNAIDS
Can the next UN chief fix a broken Security Council and an empty bank account?
24/7/2026: Six candidates vying to become the next UN Secretary-General have faced questions in a public dialogue. Highlights of their answers reflect public expectations of the successor to António Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister who has led the UN for nearly 10 years.
Source: PassBlue
More evidence that poorest countries miss out on climate finance
24/7/2026: 14 countries, led by China and South Korea, have stepped up their contributions to global climate finance, despite no formal obligation under the Paris Agreement. However, new analysis by the World Resources Institute reveals that very little of this voluntary finance is reaching countries classified as least developed.
Source: Dialogue Earth
75 years on, the Refugee Convention remains a lifeline for millions
24/7/2026: Seventy-five years after the Refugee Convention was opened for signature on 28 July 1951, it remains the foundation of the international refugee protection system and one of the most consequential international legal instruments ever adopted.
Source: UN Refugee Agency
Nicaragua continues to weaken political freedoms, UN warns
22/7/2026: The UN human rights chief has condemned new threats from Nicaragua’s co-president Daniel Ortega to hinder civil rights. The government has recently revoked lawyers’ credentials with no explanation and detained 46 individuals arbitrarily for political reasons. Elections scheduled for next year may be cancelled.
Source: UN News