UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the global dependence on fossil fuels remains a critical threat to stability and prosperity, criticizing attempts by some fossil fuel interests to slow the clean energy transition and spread misinformation. He emphasized that nations leading the shift to renewable energy will shape the future global economy.
Guterres called for the establishment of a global platform to manage a fair and affordable transition away from fossil fuels, aligned with the 1.5°C climate goal. The platform would bring together producers, consumers, financial institutions, and civil society to phase out fossil fuel investments while scaling up clean energy, cautioning that the world must either plan this transition collaboratively or face crises and chaos.
In Gaza, families are marking the first day of Ramadan under harsh humanitarian conditions, with many sheltering in unsafe areas or outdoors and facing limited access to food, water, and essential services. At the Rafah crossing with Egypt, inadequate facilities—including insufficient latrines, handwashing stations, seating, shade, and medical support—pose serious hygiene and safety concerns. UN agencies are working with authorities to ensure safety and dignity for crossing passengers and have adjusted food distribution hours to account for fasting, prioritizing older people, women heads of household, and persons with disabilities.
In South Sudan, violence and displacement are intensifying in Jonglei state, where armed conflict has led to widespread sexual and gender-based violence, family separation, and recruitment of adolescents by armed groups. Survivors report rape, abduction, assault, and killings, while many children remain unaccompanied or separated from their families. Persistent clashes between the military and the SPLM-IO have displaced around 280,000 people since December. Disruptions to maternity and emergency services have forced women to give birth without skilled care, raising preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Attacks and looting of at least 16 health facilities since late 2025 further compound the crisis. UN agencies are calling for urgent measures to protect civilians and prevent further violence against women and children.
