In Sudan, deep concerns persist for the many tens of thousands of people believed to still be trapped in El Fasher in the Darfur region, but UN aid agencies believe they may soon get access to the embattled city.

The UN Security Council meet this morning in New York to discuss the rapidly deteriorating situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), amid intensified fighting and mass displacement. The UN Peacekeeping chief briefed on recent peace efforts – including the Washington Accords between the DRC and Rwanda, signed just days before violence surged again – heightening fears of a worsening humanitarian emergency and regional spillover. Follow live below and UN News app users can click here. Find our recent reporting here on the crisis and go here for all our in-depth meeting coverage.

After more than two decades working alongside Iraq through war, political upheaval and the fight against ISIL terrorists, the UN Assistance Mission there (UNAMI) ends its mandate on 31 December – a closure its top official describes as “honourable, dignified, and earned”.

Pressure on freshwater resources is growing as demand increases in regions marked by scarcity, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report published on Friday. 

A World Health Organization (WHO) expert committee has again confirmed that there is no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), following a new review of global scientific evidence.