World News in Brief: West Bank displacement, Cuba fuel crisis, Sexual abuse safeguards, New ‘humancentric’ AI Advocate

According to the UN human rights office, UNHCR, more than 36,000 Palestinians were displaced in the year to October 2025 amid intensifying settlement activity and settler violence.

The report highlights a sharp rise in attacks by settlers, alongside demolitions, land seizures and severe restrictions on access to services, creating what it describes as a “coercive environment” forcing people from their homes. 

Fait accompli

UN rights chief Volker Türk warned that the trend risks further entrenching displacement and undermining prospects for a viable Palestinian state.

Israeli authorities have rejected similar findings, maintaining that settlement activity is lawful and linked to security needs. 

The OHCHR report reiterates that settlements in occupied territory are illegal under international law, as affirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 2334, and calls for an immediate halt to expansion and related practices.

The report documents “increasing incidents of settler violence resulting in killings, injuries and property damage, as well as relentless harassment, intimidation, and destruction of Palestinian homes and farmland,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.

Cuba blackout exposes deepening fuel crisis

Fuel shortages in Cuba are severely restricting access to basic services, the UN said on Tuesday, as a nationwide power outage underscored the scale of the crisis.

The disruption followed a malfunction at a major power station, with electricity only “gradually” returning, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

Humanitarians warned that the energy crunch is affecting daily life across the country. In Havana, uncollected rubbish is piling up and air quality has worsened as residents burn waste and wood for cooking.

Thousands of surgeries postponed

Authorities say more than 50,000 surgeries were postponed in February alone due to energy shortages.

Aid deliveries are also being hit. Dozens of containers remain at Havana’s port in the capital, while fuel scarcity is “slowing down and driving up the cost” of getting assistance to those in need. 

The Pan American Health Organization – affiliated with the UN health agency WHO – continues supplying medical items, but operations are constrained.

The crisis comes amid tightening US restrictions on fuel shipments to the island, which UN officials have warned are exacerbating existing humanitarian pressures.

Food aid is prepared for delivery by the World Food Programe to communities in Cuba affected by Hurricane Melissa.

Funding cuts threaten progress on UN abuse safeguards

A sustained global effort is needed to tackle the root causes of sexual exploitation and abuse, the United Nations said on Tuesday, warning that funding cuts risk undermining hard-won progress.

A new report by the Secretary-General António Guterres highlights system-wide measures to prevent and respond to abuse by UN personnel and partners.

It stresses that addressing the issue requires confronting “inequality and power imbalances”, noting that women and girls accounted for 85 per cent of victims between 2017 and 2025.

Safeguards strengthened

Since 2017, the UN has strengthened safeguards through improved policies, coordination and public reporting, all based on a victim-centred approach. But challenges remain, the report finds.

Recent cuts to peacekeeping, humanitarian and development budgets are of particular concern, as they “risk undermining decades of progress” and weakening support systems for victims.

UN officials emphasised that predictable funding is essential to maintain protections and ensure accountability across operations worldwide.

The full report is available online here.  

UN taps Joseph Gordon-Levitt to champion human-first approach to AI

From Hollywood to global policy debates, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is taking on a new UN role – helping ensure that the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and digital technology remains grounded in human rights, inclusion and everyday experience.

The UN announced on Tuesday that the actor, filmmaker and creative entrepreneur has been appointed its first Global Advocate for Human-centric Digital Governance, a newly created role aimed at making complex digital policy discussions more accessible and relevant to people worldwide.

‘Human-centric incentives’

“Digital technologies are transforming how societies function, how economies develop and how people engage with one another, often faster than our collective ability to respond,” Li Junhua, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) said.

The new role, he added, will help connect global policy discussions “with everyday experience” while emphasizing accountability and inclusion.

In his new capacity, Mr. Gordon-Levitt will work with DESA and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) – the UN’s global platform for digital public policy dialogue – to translate technical debates into accessible narratives and amplify diverse perspectives, particularly from communities often underrepresented in global policymaking.