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More than one thousand small-scale farmers in Lebanon will soon be able to reclaim their unproductive lands, construct water reservoirs for buffering water shortages and do on-farm complementary works. To sustain rural communities, the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, through its affiliated Green Plan (GP), has launched this demand-driven support program which allows farmers to benefit from subsidies (matching grants) to invest in agricultural infrastructure.

The United Nations on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the latest escalation of violence in Lebanon, despite the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, following an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut that reportedly killed four people – including a woman – and injured several others.

Tuesday morning’s strike reportedly targeted a Hezbollah official who Israel accused of aiding Hamas in planning an imminent terror attack against civilians.

It was the second Israeli strike in the southern suburb in five days.

The Embassy of Japan, the Ministry of Public Health, and UNOPS convened to celebrate the completion of the project for strengthening the operational capacity of critical public facilities to provide essential health and water services.

UN Member States met on Wednesday for the first of three key meetings to advance a global agreement that pledges concrete actions to achieve a safer, more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world for generations to come. 

Children are feared to be among more than 1,000 people reportedly killed in fierce fighting over the weekend in Syria’s coastal northwest, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said.

According to Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East, a six-month-old baby was among at least 13 children reported to have been killed.

Clashes erupted on Friday between Syrian Caretaker Authority forces and soldiers loyal to the former Assad regime.

Today, on International Women’s Day 2025, the global campaign “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, is calling for action to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all. This year’s campaign is particularly significant as it aligns with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark global commitment to advancing gender equality worldwide.

The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday stressed that the “true foundation” of recovery and reconstruction in Gaza must be based on a clear and agreed political framework, not just bricks and mortar.

Speaking at the emergency summit of Arab nations on the situation in the Middle East and Gaza reconstruction in Cairo, António Guterres welcomed Arab-led efforts to mobilize support for Gaza’s recovery.

He stressed that rebuilding the war-ravaged territory must be guided by principles that respect international law and prevent further cycles of violence.

As Muslims around the world prepare to mark the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a call on Thursday for compassion, empathy and generosity, urging people everywhere to embrace their common humanity and work towards a more just and peaceful world.

“In this Holy Month, let us all be uplifted by these values and embrace our common humanity to build a more just and peaceful world for all,” he said in a message.

The latest war in Lebanon has had a significant negative impact on children’s lives, with effects continuing to reverberate even after the ceasefire came into effect in November 2024, according to a new UNICEF report.

The devastating war forced children to flee their homes, damaged facilities providing essential services and inflicted physical and emotional wounds on children across the country.

The United States has cut $377 million worth of funding to the UN reproductive and sexual health agency, UNFPA, it was confirmed on Thursday, leading to potentially “devasting impacts”, on women and girls.

“At 7pm on 26 February, UNFPA was informed that nearly all of our grants (48 as of now) with USAID and the US State Department have been terminated,” the UN agency said in a statement.