News Links - January 28, 2026

 

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Yemen

UN extends Hudaydah mission – Security Council voted to renew the UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement for a final two-month period through March 31, with 13 votes in favor and abstentions from China and Russia. The mission will liquidate April 1, with residual functions transitioning to the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen.  

In the Council session UK officials condemned continued Houthi restrictions and arbitrary detention of 69 UN staff, NGO personnel, and diplomats.

Power struggles intensify – Yemen's conflict enters an even more volatile phase as former partners Saudi Arabia and the UAE drift apart, local factions recalculate alliances, and control of the south and east remains contested. Meanwhile, the Houthis hold the north and the largest territory and population. The divisions exacerbate the situation of  millions of civilians who remain displaced and hungry.

Cambodia

Mass scamming compound exodus – Amnesty has pointed to the thousands of foreign nationals who recently escaped or were released from scamming compounds in Cambodia.  They face a humanitarian crisis on Cambodian streets with no government support or consular assistance. Amnesty International interviewed 35 survivors released within the past six weeks who reported rape, torture, murder, and deaths due to lack of medical care, including two pregnant women raped by compound managers and witnesses to a man having his throat cut for attempting escape.

Belgium

New humanitarian strategy – Belgium unveiled a new humanitarian strategy to reshape aid delivery amid long-running conflicts, climate disasters, and geopolitical tensions, with Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot stating "crises are no longer the exception, they are the norm." Belgium will spend €170 million on humanitarian action in 2026 with 70% kept flexible for rapid emergency response, maintaining focus on the Sahel, Great Lakes region, Syria, Palestinian territories, and forgotten crises.