Recent drone strikes have damaged El-Obeid’s main power station and fuel depots, cutting electricity across large parts of the city and disrupting water supplies after pumping stations were forced offline.

Residents said they now rely on water tankers, wells and limited distribution points as shortages deepen, while food prices have surged and transportation costs continue to rise.

El-Obeid, home to roughly half a million people and nearly 100,000 displaced civilians, occupies a strategic position linking army-controlled central and eastern Sudan with the western Darfur region, much of which remains under RSF control.

The United Nations has warned of significant RSF troop movements around the city ahead of a possible ground assault. Analysts say capturing El-Obeid would strengthen RSF control over western Sudan and potentially provide a corridor toward the capital, Khartoum.

According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), RSF troop concentrations have recently been observed north, south and west of the city, while the only remaining army-controlled supply route to Kosti has become increasingly hazardous.

El-Obeid also hosts a Sudanese army infantry division, an air base, a key oil pipeline and one of the country’s major gum arabic trading centers, making it a significant military and economic objective.

Humanitarian agencies warned that deteriorating security has sharply reduced aid access. The International Organization for Migration said the city was approaching conditions resembling a total siege, with civilians increasingly unable to leave or receive assistance.

UN agencies have suspended access to the area as security conditions worsen, while relief supplies already positioned inside the city are being rapidly depleted.

Humanitarian officials warned that, without urgent assistance, conditions could soon mirror those experienced in El-Fasher, where prolonged fighting left civilians facing severe food shortages and widespread destruction.

The Sudanese army said it had targeted RSF equipment advancing toward El-Obeid in an effort to slow the offensive. A source close to the RSF accused the military of using civilians as human shields and called for the evacuation of non-combatants, an allegation the army has not publicly addressed.

Analysts cautioned that even if El-Obeid does not experience the same pattern of ethnically driven violence seen elsewhere in the conflict, civilians remain at significant risk of looting, sexual violence and attacks amid continued fighting.

The war between Sudan’s military and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced millions of people and triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with repeated warnings from international organizations of worsening food insecurity and civilian suffering.

In a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Syria’s Foreign Ministry said Israeli forces entered areas in the southern provinces of Quneitra and Daraa and shelled parts of the region, describing the actions as violations of Syrian sovereignty, international law, the United Nations Charter and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement governing the ceasefire line on the occupied Golan Heights.

The ministry said the operations had endangered civilians, undermined efforts to restore stability and risked further escalating tensions in the region. It urged the United Nations and the broader international community to take steps to halt what it called repeated Israeli violations and ensure compliance with the 1974 agreement.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the latest Israeli military actions, denouncing what it described as continued violations by Israeli authorities, including incursions into Syrian territory and artillery strikes targeting Quneitra and Daraa.

Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war and effectively annexed the territory in 1981, a move not recognized by most of the international community.

During the rule of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria, saying they targeted Iranian military infrastructure and weapons transfers to the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

Since Assad’s government fell earlier this year, Syrian authorities have repeatedly accused Israel of expanding military operations near the demilitarized zone in southern Syria. Israeli officials have said such operations are intended to prevent hostile armed groups from establishing a presence near Israel’s border and to safeguard national security.

Separately, the Eighth Conference of the Arab Parliament and Speakers of Arab Councils and Parliaments, meeting at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, reaffirmed support for Syria’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

In its final communiqué, the conference condemned repeated Israeli attacks on Syria and Lebanon, stressed the importance of protecting the sovereignty of Arab states and called for greater regional coordination to address common security challenges.

Delegates also condemned Iranian attacks on several Arab countries and adopted a resolution reaffirming support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people while opposing Israeli policies that they said sought to undermine the Palestinian cause.

Arab Parliament Speaker Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi called for stronger Arab solidarity and closer coordination to confront mounting regional security challenges.

Officials said more than 3,238 people had been injured, while the United Nations estimated that over 50,000 people remained missing and up to 6.76 million could require humanitarian assistance, including emergency shelter, clean water, sanitation, healthcare and essential relief supplies.

The twin earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira. Experts say the first 72 hours after a major earthquake provide the highest probability of rescuing survivors trapped beneath debris.

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said rescue workers pulled an 11-year-old boy alive from the rubble in Caraballeda late Saturday, describing the rescue as a source of hope amid the disaster. Earlier, local residents rescued an infant from collapsed buildings approximately 32 hours after the earthquakes struck.

The United States said one runway at Simon Bolivar International Airport had resumed limited operations to receive U.S. military C-17 transport aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance, while a naval vessel had arrived offshore. Rodriguez said she had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reaffirmed Washington’s support for relief efforts.

Authorities said 21 countries were dispatching search-and-rescue teams, while the United States was sending more than 250 disaster response personnel, including specialized rescue units equipped with search dogs.

The United Nations estimated physical damage at approximately $6.7 billion, equivalent to about 6% of Venezuela’s gross domestic product, highlighting the scale of reconstruction facing the country.

Residents criticized the pace of the emergency response, with some saying they had recovered relatives from collapsed buildings without official assistance. The government has restricted access to the worst-affected areas of La Guaira, requiring volunteers to obtain permits before participating in rescue operations.

The disaster has further strained Venezuela, which continues to grapple with prolonged economic hardship, weakened public services and political instability following the removal of former President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year.

Authorities said the victims included foreign nationals from Portugal, Spain, Brazil, China, Chile, Italy and Uruguay, underscoring the international impact of one of Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters in more than a century.

Rodríguez announced the updated toll while welcoming foreign rescue crews arriving from several countries, saying emergency operations remain focused on locating people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

“We are going to rescue the people who are trapped. We are working tirelessly on this task,” Rodríguez said, adding that the coastal state of La Guaira had suffered the most severe devastation from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck on Wednesday evening. She said the area had been placed under military control to facilitate rescue operations and the distribution of food, water and emergency supplies.

The revised casualty figures marked a sharp increase from earlier official estimates as emergency workers gained access to more affected areas. Authorities said thousands of people remain unaccounted for, with rescue efforts continuing around the clock.

The International Organization for Migration estimated that up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster, including about 2 million residents of Caracas. The International Red Cross said many survivors remained afraid to return to damaged homes because of continuing structural risks.

The earthquakes caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, flattening residential buildings, damaging critical infrastructure and forcing thousands of residents to spend nights in parks and open spaces. Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas remained closed after sustaining damage, complicating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Rodríguez said the government had established a $200 million reconstruction fund to repair hospitals, homes and public infrastructure, while urging private companies to provide heavy machinery to support rescue operations.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said approximately 1,000 emergency responders from 25 international search-and-rescue teams were deploying to Venezuela.

The United States said it had mobilized a broad humanitarian response despite logistical challenges caused by the airport closure. Spain dispatched specialist rescue teams equipped with search dogs, rescue cameras and ground-penetrating radar, while Chile, Switzerland and Germany also sent personnel and relief supplies. Turkiye announced the deployment of rescue teams with trained search dogs, and China pledged assistance. Qatar, Brazil, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic also offered support or deployed aid teams.

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquakes struck near Morón on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers west of Caracas. Seismologists said the shallow depth and the rapid succession of the two powerful earthquakes significantly amplified the level of destruction across the affected region.

Venezuela lies near the boundary of the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates, although earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively uncommon in the country compared with other parts of Latin America.

An estimated 331 million people, or 6.2% of the global population aged 15 to 64, used illicit drugs in 2024, according to the UNODC’s 2026 World Drug Report. The figure marks an increase from 5.2% of the same age group in 2014, reflecting a decade-long upward trend in global drug consumption.

Cannabis remained the world’s most widely used drug in 2024, followed by opioids, amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy. The report said cannabis users increased by 40% between 2014 and 2024, aided in part by legalization and decriminalization policies in several jurisdictions.

The agency expressed particular concern over the rapid expansion of synthetic opioids, including fentanyls, nitazenes and orphines, which are increasingly being marketed as substitutes for heroin.

“We have seen an unprecedented spike in new types of drugs on the market, and worryingly, some are more potent or dangerous than before,” UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma said in a statement.

The report said illicit manufacturers were developing new synthetic compounds to evade regulations and law enforcement, with drug seizures in 2024 identifying five times more drug types than were detected before 2000.

The number of new psychoactive substances circulating in global drug markets reached 755 in 2024, including 118 substances reported for the first time, underscoring the accelerating pace of innovation within illicit drug networks.

The global heroin trade also continued to feel the effects of Afghanistan’s 2022 ban on poppy cultivation imposed by the Taliban, prompting traffickers to increasingly shift toward synthetic alternatives.

“A turn away from plant-based opiates toward synthetics could cause a permanent shift in the global opioid market, with ramifications on how these drugs are used and the harms therein,” the report said.

The UNODC also reported the emergence of new methamphetamine markets beyond traditional production centers, with supplies increasingly originating from Myanmar as well as North America, West and Southern Africa, and Southwest Asia.

Cocaine production expanded more than fourfold over the past decade, with traffickers increasing shipments not only to established markets in Europe, the Americas and Oceania but also to rapidly growing markets across Africa and Asia, the report said.

TAGS

UNODC, United Nations, World Drug Report, synthetic drugs, fentanyl, nitazenes, opioids, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, new psychoactive substances, drug trafficking, Afghanistan, Taliban, Myanmar, global health, organized crime, illicit drugs, Vienna, narcotics, public health

In a report titled “Three Years Too Long,” the UN documented 546 verified incidents of sexual violence across 16 of Sudan’s 18 states since fighting erupted between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces in April 2023.

The report verified that at least 838 people were subjected to rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, forced prostitution, sexual torture, trafficking and other forms of sexual violence. Victims included 539 women, 284 girls, eight men and seven boys.

According to the findings, approximately 87 percent of documented cases were attributed to the RSF, affiliated groups and allied Arab militias.

The UN Human Rights Office cautioned that the verified figures likely represent only a fraction of the true scale of abuse, citing underreporting driven by insecurity, social stigma, the collapse of health services and the absence of functioning judicial institutions.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the findings indicated that sexual violence was being systematically used as a weapon of war. The report stated there were reasonable grounds to believe that some abuses committed in Sudan, particularly in Darfur, may amount to crimes against humanity when carried out as part of widespread or systematic attacks against civilian populations.

Investigators highlighted incidents linked to RSF operations in El-Geneina and Ardamata in 2023, as well as attacks around Zamzam displacement camp and El-Fasher in 2025.

Among the verified cases, nearly one-quarter involved gang rape. The report documented incidents in which multiple perpetrators assaulted a single victim and recorded at least 85 cases involving sexual slavery and forced domestic servitude.

The UN also reported that at least 13 victims died following acts of sexual violence, most after gang rapes. The youngest recorded victim was nine years old. Investigators further documented at least 59 pregnancies resulting from rape.

Particular concern was raised over allegations of ethnically targeted sexual violence against members of the Masalit community in West Darfur. According to testimony cited in the report, attackers questioned victims about their ethnic identity before carrying out assaults, suggesting a deliberate pattern of persecution.

Sudanese human rights activist Hala Al-Karib said the report confirmed years of documentation by civil society organizations that had repeatedly warned of the systematic use of sexual violence throughout the conflict.

Al-Karib described the findings as evidence of a broader strategy aimed at terrorizing and fragmenting communities. She also criticized what she characterized as an inadequate international response to the conflict and warned that continued arms flows and external interference were contributing to the humanitarian crisis.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the documented abuses should shock the international community, emphasizing that the verified cases likely represented only a small portion of the violence occurring across the country.

The report called on all parties to the conflict to issue and enforce orders prohibiting sexual violence, conduct independent investigations into alleged abuses and remove amnesty protections for international crimes.

It also urged international mediators and governments involved in peace efforts to ensure accountability mechanisms remain central to any ceasefire agreement or future political settlement.

Sudan’s conflict, which began in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, has triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, displacing millions of people and devastating large parts of the country.

The talks come as the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has monitored the frontier region for decades, is expected to wind down by the end of 2026. Several European governments have reportedly expressed support for exploring alternative arrangements to maintain stability in southern Lebanon following the mission’s departure.

According to the Lebanese Presidency, Macron and Aoun discussed possible international participation in a post-UNIFIL security mechanism during a telephone conversation. The French leader indicated he would consult partner nations regarding their willingness to contribute to any future multinational presence.

“President Macron indicated that he would conduct outreach to a number of countries to determine their stance on this step,” the Lebanese Presidency said, noting that preparations would be necessary before UNIFIL’s expected withdrawal process begins in early 2027.

UNIFIL was first deployed in 1978 and was significantly expanded following the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. The mission has since served as a key stabilizing force along the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated boundary separating Lebanon and Israel.

Diplomatic discussions have increasingly focused on how to preserve security coordination and monitoring mechanisms once the current peacekeeping framework concludes. A French proposal under consideration reportedly includes military and civilian options, as well as an alternative delegation structure involving European partners.

According to Lebanese officials, preliminary concepts envision an international force ranging from approximately 2,000 to 5,500 personnel. No final decision has been announced, and consultations among participating countries remain at an early stage.

European nations form the backbone of the current UNIFIL mission. Countries including France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Finland, Austria and Greece contribute substantial numbers of peacekeepers and logistical support.

The two leaders also discussed developments in Lebanese-Syrian relations and ongoing coordination between Beirut and Damascus.

Aoun welcomed recent remarks by Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa affirming Syria’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. According to the Lebanese Presidency, Al-Sharaa reiterated that Syria does not intend to intervene militarily in Lebanon and that any future Syrian role would be conducted exclusively through official Lebanese state institutions.

The discussions highlight broader regional concerns over maintaining security arrangements in southern Lebanon at a time of continued geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing efforts to strengthen state authority along the country’s southern frontier.

The commitment comes amid growing scrutiny of labor practices affecting Bangladeshis, who comprise Malaysia’s largest foreign workforce and play a critical role in sectors ranging from construction and manufacturing to plantations and services.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Putrajaya, Anwar said cooperation on labor issues was essential to both countries and stressed that worker exploitation for corporate or personal gain would not be tolerated.

Around 800,000 Bangladeshi nationals are employed in Malaysia, accounting for roughly one-third of the country’s migrant workforce. Many have faced challenges including unpaid wages, excessive recruitment costs and fraudulent employment schemes that have left workers burdened with debt and, in some cases, without promised jobs.

Anwar said Malaysia was committed to improving conditions for foreign workers and ensuring that labor migration systems operate fairly and responsibly.

Rahman called for recruitment procedures to become more transparent, affordable and accountable, urging authorities to reduce the role of intermediaries that often increase costs for prospective workers.

The issue has drawn international attention. In late 2025, United Nations human rights experts warned of continued exploitation, deception and debt bondage affecting Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia. The experts urged both governments to strengthen oversight, protect workers from further victimization and hold fraudulent recruitment agencies accountable.

The labor discussions formed a central component of Rahman’s visit, which also reflects Bangladesh’s efforts to deepen economic engagement with key Asian partners following political changes in the country over the past two years.

Rahman, who became prime minister after elections in February, is scheduled to travel to China later on Monday for talks focused on trade, investment and infrastructure cooperation, according to Bangladeshi officials.

His decision to make Malaysia and China the destinations of his first official overseas trip highlights evolving regional diplomatic priorities for Dhaka.

Relations between Bangladesh and India have remained sensitive since the 2024 uprising that removed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina from power. Hasina, a longtime partner of New Delhi, fled to India following her ouster, and Bangladeshi authorities have repeatedly requested her extradition.

Although ties between Dhaka and New Delhi have improved since Rahman assumed office, unresolved political issues continue to shape bilateral relations.

Against that backdrop, labor mobility and economic cooperation featured prominently during Monday’s discussions, with both governments signaling a desire to strengthen safeguards for migrant workers while maintaining one of Southeast Asia’s most important labor migration corridors.

An overnight airstrike hit an apartment building in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, killing four members of the Al-Safadi family, including a husband, wife and their two daughters, Gaza’s civil defense agency said. The agency, which operates under Hamas authority, said the attack also wounded 12 other people.

Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed receiving the bodies of four members of the family, including two children.

Relatives said the victims were civilians with no involvement in militant activities. Nael Al-Safadi, a family member, said the strike occurred while the family was asleep inside the building.

Footage from the scene showed extensive damage to the apartment, with sections of the exterior wall destroyed and household belongings scattered among the rubble.

In a separate incident, Al-Shifa Hospital said it received the body of one person killed in an Israeli drone strike near an intersection in northern Gaza City.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on either incident.

The latest deaths come as Israel and Hamas continue to exchange accusations of violating the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10 last year. Although large-scale fighting has subsided, sporadic strikes and security incidents have continued across the territory, complicating efforts to secure a permanent end to the conflict.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, at least 1,012 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the ceasefire began. The United Nations has generally regarded the ministry’s casualty figures as reliable, although independent verification remains difficult because of restrictions on media access and movement within Gaza.

The Israeli military has reported five fatalities among its forces during the same period.

The continuing violence highlights the fragility of the truce and the challenges facing diplomatic efforts aimed at transforming the ceasefire into a lasting political settlement.

The comments came days after European Union member states approved new migration rules that permit the establishment of so-called “return hubs” outside the bloc, where rejected asylum seekers and migrants could be transferred after being denied permission to remain in EU territory.

Turk said the measures must be implemented in full compliance with international human rights and refugee law, stressing that EU governments cannot transfer their legal obligations to third countries.

“EU states cannot simply outsource their human rights obligations to third states in this context,” Turk said in a statement.

The new framework reflects a broader shift across Europe toward stricter migration controls, as governments face sustained political pressure from anti-immigration and far-right parties that have gained support in several countries in recent years.

European policymakers have increasingly focused on improving deportation and repatriation procedures after years of criticism that existing systems were ineffective. According to EU figures cited by officials, fewer than 30 percent of individuals ordered to leave the bloc are ultimately returned to their countries of origin.

Turk cautioned that returning migrants to countries where they could face persecution, abuse or other serious harm would violate the principle of non-refoulement, a cornerstone of international refugee and human rights law.

“International human rights law and refugee law are very clear — no-one should be returned to a place where they would be at risk of serious human rights violations or other irreparable harm,” he said.

The UN rights chief expressed particular concern about the detention and transfer of vulnerable groups, including children, describing such actions as highly sensitive exercises of state authority that carry significant risks of rights violations.

Under the new rules, migrants subject to deportation orders must cooperate with authorities and leave EU territory. Those deemed security threats, considered likely to abscond, or who refuse to comply may be detained for up to two years.

Turk called for robust oversight mechanisms to ensure respect for due process, family unity and the best interests of children. He said deportation decisions should be based on individual assessments and should not be executed before legal appeals have been completed.

He also urged European governments to avoid linking migration to security concerns in public debate and called for a more balanced approach that recognizes migrants’ contributions to European economies and societies.

The migration package marks one of the most significant changes to the EU’s return system in recent years and is expected to remain a subject of debate among human rights organizations, national governments and EU institutions as implementation begins.