Burundian refugee returns from Tanzania raise protection concerns, UNHCR warns

Nearly three billion people around the world do not have adequate housing, and the crisis is no longer limited to developing countries. Cities across Europe and North America are also facing growing affordability challenges, says UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach.Speaking to UN News’s Anshu Sharma in New Delhi, she told us poverty and inequality remain the main causes of the crisis. However, climate change and extreme weather are making housing insecurity worse, especially for people living in informal settlements.

At just 16 years of age, Raul John Aju already has a formidable stack of achievements under his belt.The teenager from the Indian state of Kerala runs his own company creating artificial intelligence tools, advises governments on how to use the tech, and teaches students how to engage with it in their professional and personal lives.His prodigious activities have earned him the moniker “AI Kid of India” at home, and an invitation to speak at the recent 2026 India AI Summit, where he met politicians and top officials – including UN chief António Guterres.UN News’s Anshu Sharma sat down with Raul at the summit and asked what had got him interested in technology at such a young age.

Set up in May 1948, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, UNTSO was the first ever peacekeeping operation established by the UN. In an interview with UN News, Major General Patrick Gauchat, Head of Mission and Chief of Staff, explained the mission has evolved since it was first established to monitor ceasefires and support peace agreements in the aftermath of world war. Working closely with UN forces in Lebanon and the Golan, UNTSO complements their security, medical, and engineering operations. And with the mandate extension in Lebanon ending in December 2026, the truce supervision mission could take on a bigger role along ceasefire lines.Mr. Gauchat told UN News’s Khaled Mohamed the longest-running mission’s presence gives reassurance to civilians living in conflict areas. 

As repatriation efforts for Burundian refugees from Tanzania accelerate, concerns are growing over reports of coercive measures, shelter demolitions and mistreatment during the return process, amid warnings that some refugees may still need international protection.Bahia Egeh, External Relations Officer with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, stressed that returns under the tripartite agreement with Burundi and Tanzania must be carried out in safety and dignity, and based on free and informed choice rather than pressure.UN News’s Edouard de Bray started by asking her to explain why Burundian refugees in Tanzania are being repatriated. 

As artificial intelligence reshapes global agriculture, questions remain about who truly benefits from this technological shift.In this interview with Anshu Sharma from UN News, Brenda Gunde, Global Lead for ICT4D (Information Communication Technology for Development) at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), explains how emerging digital tools can support smallholder farmers, improve decision-making, and reduce inequality – as long as issues of access, affordability, and scalability are addressed.Speaking on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Ms. Gunde highlights why inclusive innovation, local access to information, and practical delivery systems are essential to ensuring AI strengthens rural livelihoods rather than widening existing gaps.

According to the World Bank, the real AI revolution in developing countries isn’t coming from flashy mega‑models, but from small, low‑cost tools that solve local problems.Mahesh Uttamchandani, the organisation’s Regional Practice Director for Digital and AI inEast Asia and Pacific and South Asia, sat down with Anshu Sharma from UN News during the India AI Impact Summit, and explained that these systems are cheaper to run, easier to adapt, and already delivering outsized impact.

As the India AI Impact Summit, the first of its kind in the Global South, enters its final days, UN News has been talking to some of the senior UN officials who have made the trip to New Delhi.One of them is Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who has been meeting with world leaders and the heads of technology companies.When he sat down with our colleague Anshu Sharma, Mr. Türk explained why human rights must be at the core of a powerful technology that many believe is about to transform the world.

In Sudan, the conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged the country into widespread bloodshed and humanitarian catastrophe. The devastating civil war began in April 2023 and is expanding beyond the western Darfur region into central Kordofan, taking its toll on civilians and particularly the most vulnerable, including children.Eva Hinds, Spokesperson for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Sudan, describes how the agency is supporting boys and girls amid the brutal conflict and ongoing cuts to aid budgets.She spoke to UN News’s Nathalie Minard in Geneva.

India’s AI Impact Summit – the first of its kind in the Global South – is underway in New Delhi, and the United Nations has a significant presence at the event, with over 30 side events planned over the week.The main message from the UN is that access to, and development of, AI tools ne eds to be democratised beyond the handful of major economies that are currently driving the technology.Amandeep Gill, the UN Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, is attending the Summit, where he will discuss the UN’s central role in AI governance. He told Anshu Sharma from UN News that managing the risks and harnessing the opportunities needs to involve everyone, not just a small elite. 

Since the declaration of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on 10 October 2025, the United Nations’ main concern has been — and remains — the urgent scaling up of humanitarian aid.And while the long-awaited reopening of the Rafah crossing at the start of this month raised hopes, it has also been marked by delays and reports of mistreatment of Palestinians, according to aid organizations, with no significant improvement in the overall humanitarian situation.For more details, UN News’s Nancy Sarkis spoke to Gaza aid veteran Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.