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
Three consecutive years of reduction in global hunger
21/7/2026: The 2026 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report reveals that an estimated 645 million people faced hunger in 2025, nearly 14 million fewer than in 2024. However, the report projects that around 520 million people could still face hunger in 2030, putting the world off track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger.
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization
Trump’s HIV funding cuts have severe impact around the world
21/7/2026: A survey by the Aids research foundation, Amfar, finds that cuts to the funding of the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief have caused “severe and devastating” disruption globally, with thousands of staff laid off and many clinics closed. Combined with imposition of Trump's refusal to accept diversity, equity and inclusion policies, the changes risk reversing progress in the fight against HIV/Aids.
Source: The Guardian
Sudan’s peace process should account for interests of multiple parties
21/7/2026: Most peace initiatives approach Sudan as a two-sided conflict between a national army and a paramilitary rebellion. This approach overlooks that both camps contain armed movements, tribal formations and local commanders with their own expectations of the postwar order.
Source: African Arguments