More than 10 children reportedly killed in attack on kindergarten in South Kordofan, Sudan

Drone strikes in Ghadeer locality, Kalogi, South Kordofan, have reportedly killed more than 10 children aged between 5 and 7 years, inside a kindergarten yesterday.


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Ukraine: “Heaven and Hell”, with Matthias Schmale | RC/HC Ukraine | Awake at Night | United Nations

A life-long humanitarian, Matthias Schmale has borne witness to a number of seismic moments in world history. Currently United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, he is overseeing efforts to help Ukrainians prepare for a fourth winter at war. “The longer this lasts, the more the resilience will go down, the more the psychological damage will take hold [...] There are nights where I lie in bed thinking, why can't this nightmare for civilians end?” Ukrainians have endured four years of hellish conflict that continues to devastate civilian lives and infrastructure, leaving 36 percent of the population in need of aid. In this episode, Matthias Schmale looks back on a long career of humanitarian service, reflects on the deep scars of war and explains why daily life in Kiev can be both heaven and hell. [00:00] Introduction [01:01] Experiencing “Heaven and Hell” in Ukraine [03:03] Do not romanticize resilience [08:00] Navigating loss and the hard road to healing [11:04] Hope and reality [12:36] Winter as a weapon [14:41] Declining humanitarian funding [15:49] Hope persists despite dark times [21:50] What keeps Matthias awake at night [26:13] Reflections from UNRWA - then and now [29:49] Losing colleagues in Gaza [31:42] Clarifying a controversial interview [35:26] From missionary kid to humanitarian [37:27] Growing up in Apartheid South Africa [40:34] Witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall [42:16] Closing remarks Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt #podcast #unitednations #awakeatnight #OCHA #Ukraine About Awake at Night Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.


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Intl Day against Unilateral Coercive Measures - Briefing | United Nations

Remarks by Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, on behalf of António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the Informal meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day against Unilateral Coercive Measures.


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Ukraine: Humanitarian situation - Press Conference | United Nations

Press conference by Matthias Schmale, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine on the situation in the country. ---- Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine said, “At the moment, I don't sense any optimism that we're getting closer to ending this terrible tragedy.” Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters, he cautioned that earlier “moments of cautious optimism” had faded as Ukraine enters another winter under bombardment. Schmale warned that continued strikes on energy infrastructure pose one of the gravest risks. “We are particularly worried about the winter,” he said, noting that the “big worry is people potentially getting stuck in high rise buildings in cities.” He pointed to a recent close call in the northeast, saying a city of 40,000 people in Sumy region “was cut off for several days.” Authorities had begun considering evacuations, he said, adding that the worst was fortunately avoided. But he warned that the winter months could bring “a catastrophe within a catastrophe.” Despite ongoing strikes, Schmale said Ukraine is living through a dual reality in which “development and recovery work goes on” even as fighting continues. In Kherson, he noted that “every day there's been shelling this year,” leaving the streets desolate and largely empty. Yet beneath that devastation, he visited an underground maternity ward, a setting he described as a stark counterpoint to the destruction above. Schmale said, “And you couldn't experience a starker contrast: above ground the horror of war, below ground in the same place people helping women give birth to new life. And it sort of characterizes the defiance of the Ukrainians.” He also highlighted “innovative work” combining de-mining with agricultural recovery, with NGOs and UN agencies clearing fields and helping farmers return to their land. He said such efforts keep alive the hope of a better future. Still, he cautioned against “romanticiz[ing] resilience.” After nearly four years of war, he said “the population is getting weary and more tired,” even as red lines remain firmly in place. That fatigue, he added, will shape “the receptiveness to whatever deal might come out in the future.” Schmale said the conflict is becoming increasingly technological, with drone warfare reshaping conditions for civilians and aid workers alike. On a recent trip to Donetsk region, he observed “kilometers of the road being covered by fishnets” to disrupt drone surveillance. Humanitarian groups, he said, report that their biggest worry is “drone attacks targeting them very directly.”


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Trump added his name to US Institute of Peace building

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International Day for Persons with Disabilities - Press Conference | United Nations

Marking the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, UN Global Advocate Giles Duley said that persons with disabilities are assets for workforce, reiterating the need to look at the societal barriers that are holding them back from achieving what they can. The Global Advocate spoke to reporters in New York. He highlighted the importance of listening to what the reality is like for people with disabilities. Duley said, “Too often people with disabilities are presented as inspiration, as resilient people. And of course, they are. But that means the stories of those left behind who are truly vulnerable are often ignored or forgotten. We can't romanticize the idea of disability.” Speaking about Gaza, the Global Advocate said, “People with disabilities whenever there is a crisis are the ones most vulnerable,” adding that “people living on top floors of apartment buildings, when the electricity is gone, cannot evacuate. When warnings are done by sound, people who are deaf do not get them. When people in wheelchairs and there's rubble in the streets, they lose all accessibility.” Duley also pointed out that the society “have to stop looking at people with disabilities as victims.” He said, “We should look at them as assets, because some of the most resilient people you will meet in the workforce are people with disabilities, people who have struggled their whole lives, people who have met those challenges.” “For me, resilience is life's gift for your suffering and challenges,” the Global Advocate said, adding, “It gives you strength that enables you to be an amazing part of the workforce. There are barriers that stop those people and so rather look at them as the problem, we must always look at the societal barriers that are holding them back from achieving what they can.” Duley also said, “Sixteen to 17 percent of the world's population label themselves as having disability. The stories we hear are only about the ones that we feel comfortable listening to. Unfortunately, the stories that are uncomfortable are the ones we need to be telling.”


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16 Days of Activism 2025: End Digital Violence Against All Women & Girls Message | United Nations

This video, presented by the United Nations Victims’ Rights Advocate, marks the first day of the 16 days of activism and the global campaign to end digital violence against women and girls. It highlights how abuse transcends physical spaces and follows victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN and related personnel into the digital world, emphasizing the urgent need for a victim-centered approach. The message calls for collective action to create safe, respectful digital environments and uphold the rights and dignity of all victims.


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Giles Duley, UN Global Advocate for Persons with Disabilities in Conflict & Peacebuilding Situations

Press conference by Giles Duley, UN Global Advocate for Persons with Disabilities in Conflict and Peacebuilding Situations for the International Day for Persons with Disabilities


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OPT, Lebanon/Israel, Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: -Occupied palestinian territory -Lebanon/israel -Sudan -Mozambique -Myanmar -Migrants and refugees/Latin America and the Caribbean -International day of persons with disabilities -Guest tomorrow OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continues to receive reports that air strikes, shelling, gunfire and other Israeli military operations are causing more civilian casualties, displacement and destruction in Gaza. In recent days, hundreds of families were reportedly displaced in the At Tufah and Ash Shuja’iyyeh neighbourhoods in eastern Gaza city, following strikes and movement of military machinery. The UN and its partners continue to provide assistance to people in need across the Strip wherever we can have access. The UN healthcare partners report that six additional healthcare service points have opened since Sunday. Yesterday in Rafah, a team from the World Health Organization(WHO) also managed to reach the European Hospital, which remains non-operational, to move some vital equipment to functioning healthcare facilities. However, attempts to gain access to Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza continue to be denied by the Israelisecurity authorities. WHO reported that the agency facilitated the referral and transfer of the first patient to the Emirati Field Hospital since before last year’s Rafah incursion, which had rendered the facility inaccessible. The hospital is the only functioning medical facility serving the Rafah area. Preparations for winter are a key priority for the UN and our partners, and we continue to deliver shelter supplies and other critical items to the most vulnerable households. Since Sunday, some 4,400 families received tents, tarpaulins, blankets, winter clothing and kitchen sets across Gaza through UN-coordinated deliveries. In addition, UN partners managing displacement sites report that work is ongoing to help prepare suitable locations for those seeking to leave high-risk areas, including shoreline communities. In Khan Younis, an estimated 4,000 households live along the coast, with some 1,000 at especially high risk due to their proximity to the water line. Some of these families have reportedly started to relocate to the two sites identified as being safe by the localmunicipality. In the ongoing effort to improve access to water and sanitation, our partners report that 42 truckloads of debris have been cleared over the past 48 hours to reach the Al Amal, Tel al Dhahab and Asian wells in Beit Lahiya, in North Gaza. Repairs are expected to begin soon. In the meantime, UN partners working to reduce risks of explosive ordnance warn that unexploded remnants of war continue to pose a threat to civilians. Over the past week, they were able to carry out 50 assessments across Gaza to help lower the risks for aid workers. Just last week, six people were reportedly killed and 10 others injured in two incidents involving explosive ordnance in Gaza City and Deir al Balah. OCHA continues to call for unimpeded, safe and sustained access for humanitarian workers and supplies to reach people in need. Impediments must be lifted to allow teams to scale up the delivery of humanitarian assistance faster and more efficiently. Civilians must always be protected, and safe passage must be ensured for those wishing to flee. They must also be allowed to return to areas should they wish to. LEBANON/ISRAEL Today, UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) hosted the fourteenth meeting of the five parties cessation of hostilities mechanism at its headquarters in Naqoura. Chaired by the United States with the support of France, the meeting saw for the first time the participation of delegations of Israel and Lebanon included civilian representatives which marks a significant step forward and we look forward to continued momentum in that front. The Office of the Special Coordinator for Lebanon was also present in the meetings. Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2025-12-03 Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Website: https://www.un.org/sg/en/spokesperson


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UN on Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand & Malaysia Floods

Severe floods and landslides across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia have claimed more than 1,000 lives and displaced millions. The United Nations remains in close contact with national authorities and stands ready to support ongoing relief and response efforts.


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Iraq: Conclusion of UN Assistance Mission - UNAMI Briefing | United Nations

December marks the conclusion of the UN Assistance Mission’s for Iraq mandate, following more than two decades of support to the country through transition and shifting regional dynamics. Addressing the Security Council, the UN’s top envoy in the country said Iraq’s progress was shaped by sustained international support and years of costly effort. Mohamed Al Hassan, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) highlighted major developments in Iraq’s repatriation efforts, praising Baghdad for showing “commendable leadership” in accelerating the return of its nationals from northeast Syria. He said, “To date, approximately 20,800 people have returned to Iraq – no small feat, by any measure,” adding that continued resources are essential to ensure “dignified and sustainable reintegration,” from basic services to livelihood support. He also welcomed Iraq’s election to the Human Rights Council but cautioned that the role carries new obligations. Membership, he said, comes with “responsibility to uphold the highest standards” on human rights, particularly regarding minorities, women, youth, freedom of expression, and “respect of the rights of girls and refraining from underage marriages.”


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