World News in Brief: ‘New intensity’ to Russian attacks on Ukraine, Yemen, Gaza and Colombia updates
UN monitors report intensified Russian strikes in Ukraine, killing over 200 civilians in September, while Yemen’s conflict displaces 125,000 and Gaza’s economy collapses under war damage. Colombia’s drug crackdown risks fueling racial discrimination, rights experts warn.
UN human rights monitors documented repeated Russian attacks across Ukraine from 1 to 24 September, involving missiles, drones and guided bombs, killing at least 200 civilians and injuring 1,234. Local authorities reported a strike on a vegetable sorting facility in Kharkiv region that killed seven farm workers and injured 12 others. Kyiv experienced civilian casualties on 16 of the first 24 days of September, the highest monthly frequency since the full-scale invasion began.
In Yemen, UN human rights chief Volker Türk highlighted the civilian toll of ongoing fighting between Government forces and Houthi rebels, noting around 125,000 people have been displaced. OHCHR documented 32 civilian deaths, including 15 children and three women, since August, and demanded the immediate release of 73 arbitrarily detained UN staff members held by the Houthis.
Gaza’s economy has collapsed under war damage, with people earning just 58 cents a day and 92 per cent of businesses damaged or destroyed, according to UNCTAD. Over nine in 10 working-age adults are unemployed, and rebuilding homes alone is estimated to cost $19 billion. The report attributes the destruction to the war sparked by Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023.
Independent rights experts warned Colombia’s intensified efforts to combat drug traffickers risk reinforcing systemic racism against people of African descent. The Government announced renewed law enforcement operations, including aerial herbicide spraying to eradicate illegal crops, following its August inauguration.