UN News Today 15 April 2026 |

Hundreds of Rohingya feared missing or drowned in new shipwreck 

We start with the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis and news that hundreds are missing believed drowned after a shipwreck in the Andaman Sea, off the coast of the country hosting many from the persecuted minority, Bangladesh. 

The incident happened last Wednesday, and a commercial vessel picked up a small number of survivors a day later, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

It said that the boat was carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals whose boat encountered very heavy winds and rough seas.

With more, here’s the agency’s Matthew Saltmarsh in Geneva:

“250 people, a huge number, are missing at the moment. The boat was travelling from Teknath in southern Bangladesh to Malaysia when it sank…UNHCR is in contact with the survivors and of course, thanks the Bangladeshi Coast Guard, which have been integrally involved in the rescue. It seems that this would be one of the deadliest disasters in recent years in that region, which is, of course, no stranger to these kind of events.” 

There are still about one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in Myanmar; it is still unsafe for them to return home, UNHCR says. 

The agency has warned that conditions in Bangladesh for the Rohingya are becoming increasingly difficult amid significant funding cuts to aid work, which are making them “increasingly desperate”, as they embark on dangerous sea journeys.

Iran: 3.2 million now displaced inside country: UNHCR  

To the war in Iran, which has increased the pressure and anxiety for the more than 1.6 million refugees there.

They’re mainly Afghan nationals and their main needs are financial support, safe shelter and healthcare. 

UNHCR is on the ground in Iran and reports that calls to its helplines have risen sharply since widescale Israeli and US bombing began at the end of February.

The agency notes that women and girls are among the most vulnerable, citing reports that survivors of gender-based violence have been unable to seek protection services because police stations have been evacuated.

UNHCR says that a total of 3.2 million people have been uprooted by the war across Iran; most are now based in Tehran, with smaller numbers in Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan.

Shockwaves of Middle East war reach Caribbean as food prices soar 

Staying with the war, six weeks since it erupted, the shockwaves have spread to the Caribbean region, already pushed to the brink, amid fears of a looming El Niño-linked climate disaster.

Highlighting the import-heavy status of many Caribbean islands, the UN World Food Programme – WFP – warned on Wednesday that the war – and in particular the Strait of Hormuz shipping and energy crisis – have triggered one of the most significant global trade shocks since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Low-income households will be worst-hit after crude oil prices surged to more than $114 a barrel earlier this year, alongside increased shipping costs, insurance fees and delivery delays. 

“Even with a fragile ceasefire now in place, volatility remains high – and the Caribbean, heavily reliant on imported food, is feeling the squeeze fast,” WFP says.

At the same time, experts warn there’s a 61 per cent chance of the El Niño climate phenomenon striking by mid-2026; historically for the Caribbean region, El Niño has brought heatwaves, drought and crop failure.

Daniel Johnson, UN News