UN News Today 08 January 2026 |

Ukraine wakes to more devastation from Russia missiles: OCHA 

In Ukraine, another wave of Russian attacks has struck several parts of the country, with civilians reportedly killed and injured in the key port city of Odesa.

Condemning the latest attacks, the UN’s top aid official in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, said that targeting of energy facilities had caused severe disruptions to electricity, heating and water services in Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia regions. 

“In the middle of winter, these outages place the most vulnerable at grave risk, including older people, those with health conditions and families with children,” Mr. Schmale said in a statement on Thursday.

The veteran humanitarian underlined that civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected under international humanitarian law.

Niger facing acute hunger and disease, warn food security experts

In Niger, UN-backed food insecurity experts warned on Thursday that more than 1.6 million young children are suffering from acute malnutrition – with many more at risk.

The alert was published in an assessment from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification platform, which noted that at least 306,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are also in danger from the scourge.

The security situation in Niger remains volatile following a military coup in July 2023, with jihadist insurgents still active.

Nationally, nutrition levels have in fact improved in the west African nation since the last UN-backed assessment, but there are still concerns for refugees living in Agadez, Diffa and Maradi regions.

The worst conditions were reported in Diffa region that borders Chad and in Maradi region close to Nigeria, between August and November last year.

Although the situation is expected to improve between now and April – marked by fewer cases of diarrhoea, malaria and better food availability – conditions are expected to deteriorate once again, with the onset of the lean and rainy season in May.

Human Rights Council elects an Indonesian candidate President for 2026

To Geneva, finally, where the UN Human Rights Council has elected an Indonesian diplomat to be President for 2026 – a first for the country.

Under Council rules, presidents are appointed to serve for one year by the body’s 47 Member States.

Ambassador Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro will now lead proceedings at the UN forum after his nomination as the sole candidate of the Asia-Pacific group, whose members include China, Japan and South Korea.

Mr. Suryodipuro will now wield the gavel at the Council’s three scheduled sessions beginning in late February, June and September.

Also speaking at the Council meeting, Colombian representative María Juliana Tenorio Quintero highlighted the tense geopolitical situation currently prevailing, in a context of a “deep-seated global crisis”.

“We now see a return of threats and force as a way of governing international relations without looking at the real impact on the international situation,” she said adding that it “threatens the system that for more than eight decades has been essential in avoiding a third world war,” as she called to uphold international law.

Daniel Johnson, UN News