The United Nations has raised the alarm over a sharp acceleration in Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes and infrastructure in the occupied West Bank, warning that the campaign is fuelling fears of ethnic cleansing.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said Israeli bulldozers destroyed homes, farm buildings, water tanks and solar panels in the village of Jinba on Wednesday. Three more villages in the Masafer Yatta area have been "almost entirely" destroyed this month, according to the office. The agency called for an immediate halt to the demolitions.
"The forcible transfer of a civilian population from their land by an occupying power is a war crime," said Ajith Sunghay, the head of OHCHR in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Displacement figures climb
According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, Israeli demolitions have displaced 1,500 people in the occupied West Bank so far this year. The Masafer Yatta area alone includes 12 villages housing more than 1,100 Palestinians, most of whom have lived on the land for generations.
The UN's warning comes as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st session of the General Assembly, where the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories remains a central concern.
Sudan faces a worsening food crisis
The UN's World News in Brief also highlighted Sudan, where funding shortages are limiting relief efforts just as an El Niño event threatens to cut rainfall by 30 to 40 per cent below normal.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned of deteriorating food security for farmers, pastoralists and fishing communities in areas reclaimed by government forces during the protracted war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
FAO's Rein Paulsen said the agency is focused on keeping livestock healthy through vaccination and feed supplies, and on providing drought-resistant seed. One seed project produced sorghum crops worth more than $500 million from an initial $17 million investment. The agency says it needs $193 million this year for its Sudan work but is only 23 per cent funded.
Displacement spreads across Haiti
In Haiti, the displacement crisis is spreading beyond Port-au-Prince, with nearly 1.5 million internally displaced people now recorded nationwide. Almost 80 per cent are outside the capital as violence reaches regions once considered relatively safe, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The Artibonite department saw displacement rise 16 per cent between May and August. Recent attacks in Kenscoff displaced more than 4,000 people, with homes burned and reports of kidnappings and deaths. IOM is appealing for $60 million to reach 6.4 million people under its 2026 crisis response plan.
UN Women launches AI and gender equality hub
Also on Friday, UN Women launched a Digital, Innovation and AI Hub aimed at ensuring artificial intelligence benefits women and girls. The agency said men hold nearly eight in 10 AI jobs and almost nine in 10 senior leadership roles shaping the technology.
"The artificial intelligence systems we build today will shape how we live and work tomorrow. If women are missing from their design and governance, we risk carrying the inequalities of the present into the future," said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
Sources: UN News — World News in Brief: West Bank demolitions accelerate, urgent support for Sudan, Haiti displacement, AI hub to boost gender equality — https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/09/1168447
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said Israeli bulldozers destroyed homes, farm buildings, water tanks and solar panels in the village of Jinba on Wednesday. Three more villages in the Masafer Yatta area have been "almost entirely" destroyed this month, according to the office. The agency called for an immediate halt to the demolitions.
"The forcible transfer of a civilian population from their land by an occupying power is a war crime," said Ajith Sunghay, the head of OHCHR in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Displacement figures climb
According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, Israeli demolitions have displaced 1,500 people in the occupied West Bank so far this year. The Masafer Yatta area alone includes 12 villages housing more than 1,100 Palestinians, most of whom have lived on the land for generations.
The UN's warning comes as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st session of the General Assembly, where the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories remains a central concern.
Sudan faces a worsening food crisis
The UN's World News in Brief also highlighted Sudan, where funding shortages are limiting relief efforts just as an El Niño event threatens to cut rainfall by 30 to 40 per cent below normal.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned of deteriorating food security for farmers, pastoralists and fishing communities in areas reclaimed by government forces during the protracted war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
FAO's Rein Paulsen said the agency is focused on keeping livestock healthy through vaccination and feed supplies, and on providing drought-resistant seed. One seed project produced sorghum crops worth more than $500 million from an initial $17 million investment. The agency says it needs $193 million this year for its Sudan work but is only 23 per cent funded.
Displacement spreads across Haiti
In Haiti, the displacement crisis is spreading beyond Port-au-Prince, with nearly 1.5 million internally displaced people now recorded nationwide. Almost 80 per cent are outside the capital as violence reaches regions once considered relatively safe, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The Artibonite department saw displacement rise 16 per cent between May and August. Recent attacks in Kenscoff displaced more than 4,000 people, with homes burned and reports of kidnappings and deaths. IOM is appealing for $60 million to reach 6.4 million people under its 2026 crisis response plan.
UN Women launches AI and gender equality hub
Also on Friday, UN Women launched a Digital, Innovation and AI Hub aimed at ensuring artificial intelligence benefits women and girls. The agency said men hold nearly eight in 10 AI jobs and almost nine in 10 senior leadership roles shaping the technology.
"The artificial intelligence systems we build today will shape how we live and work tomorrow. If women are missing from their design and governance, we risk carrying the inequalities of the present into the future," said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
Sources: UN News — World News in Brief: West Bank demolitions accelerate, urgent support for Sudan, Haiti displacement, AI hub to boost gender equality — https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/09/1168447
