World news in brief: Latest news on Lebanon, updates on Ukraine war, changes to anti-LGBT law in Bulgaria

Some 110,000 people have been displaced inside Lebanon since October, 35 percent of them children, the agency reported. It estimates that nearly 150,000 people remain within the 10-kilometer Green Line.

According to the World Health Organization, since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on October 7, there have been 16 recorded attacks on health care facilities, with 21 health workers killed in the fighting (WHO).

Nearly a quarter of people in southern Lebanon are food insecure

Severe damage to water, electricity, telecommunications and road infrastructure in southern Lebanon has left 23% of the population food insecure – up from 19% in March this year.

“We, together with our partners, continue to scale up relief efforts, to support the Government-led response. But more funding is urgently needed. Humanitarian partners need $110 million to provide a sustained response to conflict-affected people until the end of the year,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said, briefing reporters in New York.

The Lebanon Response Plan 2024 is only 25 percent funded, with just $670 million received out of the $2.72 billion needed.

“We call on all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and stress that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times,” Mr. Haq stressed.

Attacks continue inside Ukraine and Russia

As the Ukrainian army is said to continue its major offensive inside Russia, there have been continuous attacks in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Sumy regions causing civilian casualties, OCHA said on Friday.

Air strikes destroyed homes, schools and energy infrastructure and hit a government-run aid distribution point.

On Thursday, Secretary-General António Guterres said through his Spokesperson that he “remains very concerned” about civilians in eastern Ukraine and along disputed border areas “including the Kursk and Belgorod regions of the Russian Federation.”

Civil protection comes first

Mr Guterres called on all warring parties to act responsibly “and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure”.

Newly appointed humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale has sent condolences via X to the families of the aid workers killed in Kherson, stressing the importance of protecting humanitarian workers on the frontline.

Updating reporters in New York on Friday, Farhan Haq said civilians continued to leave frontline areas inside Ukraine.

“Complementing the efforts of local authorities and first responders, aid organizations have provided urgent humanitarian aid to frontline communities and displaced people in the Donetsk and Sumy regions and elsewhere.”

The UN and partners have registered multi-purpose cash assistance for 1,800 evacuees in Sumy alone in the past nine days.

In July, more than $3 million in multi-purpose assistance was disbursed to more than 10,000 people in the Donetsk and Sumy regions.

OHCHR ‘deeply concerned’ about anti-LGBT legal changes in Bulgaria

A senior United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) spokesperson said on friday She is “very concerned” about changes to the law in Bulgaria that ban discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

Liz Throssell called on lawmakers to “reconsider” the amended law in light of the country’s international human rights obligations.

“Tackling stigma and misinformation is vital to promoting acceptance and tolerance, and building inclusive societies that respect and protect the human rights of all people,” said Ms Throssell.

She noted that the new amendment was passed at a time when 82 percent of LGBT individuals in Bulgaria reported being bullied at school.

Green light for more violations

“This will only exacerbate human rights violations against the LGBT community and bullying and harassment in schools,” she continued, adding that it also “goes against Bulgaria’s constitutional commitments and international human rights treaty commitments to ensure equality, non-discrimination and freedom of expression.”

She said the Bulgarian government and parliamentarians needed to take urgent steps to stop all acts of violence, discrimination and bullying – especially against LGBT youth and throughout the education system.