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December 24, 2025 Economic development

The global forest products sector began to recover in 2024 after a sharp decline the year before, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

FAO statistics cover 77 product categories, 27 commodity groups, and more than 245 countries and territories. The report presents current trends in trade and production of major forest products.

According to the UN agency, international trade in wood and paper products has regained momentum, with most major commodity groups reporting moderate growth. This recovery follows a 14 percent decline in overall trade in wood and paper products in 2023.

Industrial timber harvesting volumes increased by two percent in 2024, although global trade volumes declined by one percent. Global production volumes of sawn timber—boards, beams, and other processed wood products—remained virtually unchanged. Trade in sawn timber also remained at 2023 levels.

Wood panel production grew for the second consecutive year, increasing by five percent. Wood pulp supply increased by three percent to 189 million tonnes, while international trade in this product grew by two percent, reaching a record 73 million tonnes. Wood pellet production, which has rapidly increased in recent decades thanks to the development of bioenergy in Europe, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, returned to 48 million tonnes in 2024, the same level as in 2022, after a slight decline in 2023.

“Forests provide livelihoods for millions of people around the world, and this number will grow as forests offer increasing economic opportunities in various sectors, including sustainable timber production,” said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu.

A recent FAO Forest Resources Assessment report found that net forest area loss has more than halved since the 1990s, with more than 90 percent of forests regenerating naturally.

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December 24, 2025 Healthcare

Ahead of the winter holidays, when alcohol consumption traditionally increases, the World Health Organization (WHO) reminds everyone that alcohol remains a key risk factor for injuries and violent incidents. According to a new WHO report, one in three deaths from injuries and violence in Europe and Central Asia is linked to alcohol consumption.

According to 2019 data, nearly 145,000 injury deaths in countries in the WHO European Region were directly related to alcohol. Most often, these were self-harm, road traffic accidents, and falls. Experts emphasize that no other psychoactive substance causes such widespread harm—both accidental and intentional.

Karina Ferreira-Borges, WHO Regional Advisor on Alcohol, notes that alcohol not only causes serious noncommunicable diseases, including seven types of cancer, but also significantly reduces a person's ability to control their behavior, impairs coordination and reaction time, and increases the propensity to engage in risky behavior. This is why it so often causes preventable injuries and deaths.

Alcohol and violence: a dangerous connection

Alcohol remains one of the most persistent factors triggering aggression and violence. In 2019, approximately 26,500 deaths due to violence were recorded in the region, and over 40 percent of them were alcohol-related. More than a third of suicides were also alcohol-related.

The WHO emphasizes that alcohol harms not only the drinker but also those around him, especially women and children. Alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for intimate partner violence. However, official statistics reflect only a small fraction of the true scale of the problem, as many cases go unreported due to stigma and fear of seeking help.

A threat to youth

The WHO is particularly concerned about the impact of alcohol on adolescents and young adults. In this age group, it is a leading cause of disability and premature death, primarily due to injury.

According to Jonathan Passmore, WHO Regional Road Safety Advisor, young people are less likely to drink regularly, but are more likely to consume large amounts in short periods. This behavior dramatically increases the risk of road accidents, drowning, falls, as well as violence and self-harm. Furthermore, alcohol negatively impacts brain development, impairing memory, learning, and decision-making, which increases the likelihood of long-term consequences.

Eastern Europe is in the lead

Significant regional variations in alcohol-related injury rates persist in Europe. The highest mortality rates are found in Eastern European countries. In some, more than half of all injury deaths are alcohol-related, while in Western and Southern European countries, this figure often falls below 20 percent.

Experts attribute this gap to differences in consumption culture, the prevalence of episodic drinking, and the effectiveness of government control measures—from sales regulations to access to treatment.

What can be done

The WHO is calling on countries in the region to take proactive and targeted action. Experts cite increased prices and taxes on alcohol, restrictions on the hours and locations of its sale, strict regulation of alcohol marketing, increased enforcement of drunk driving, and the introduction of early detection of harmful alcohol use among patients in healthcare settings as among the most effective measures.

Ahead of the holidays, the WHO reminds us that moderation in alcohol consumption, avoiding driving after drinking, and paying close attention to one's own health can significantly reduce the risk of both unintentional and intentional injuries.

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December 23, 2025 Peace and security

From the moment last discussion On October 10, the United States' military presence and operations off the coast of Venezuela intensified, further escalating tensions between the two countries, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding Khaled Khiari told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

Khiari recalled that the United States characterized its actions as part of a "non-international armed conflict" to combat drug cartels, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter. President Donald Trump stated that he intends to use "the full power of the United States to combat these drug cartels and root them out, no matter where they operate."

The Venezuelan government viewed the US actions as a serious threat to international peace and security. In a letter dated December 16, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister stated that the United States was violating the principle of the prohibition of the threat or use of force in international relations.

Airstrikes and International Law

Since early September, the US has carried out strikes on vessels it claims were transporting drugs. According to US authorities, 105 people have been killed in these operations. The exact coordinates of the strikes have not been disclosed, but the US claims they took place in international waters or within the "Southern Command area of ​​responsibility."

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned these attacks, stating that combating drug trafficking is a task for law enforcement agencies and not a pretext for the use of lethal force in an armed conflict. Türk called for an independent investigation, Khairi recalled.

Political steps and new sanctions

In late November, Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Donald Trump held a telephone conversation. The United States officially designated the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization and imposed new sanctions against its affiliates.

The US president also declared Venezuela's airspace "completely closed," prompting most international airlines to suspend flights to the country. Venezuela called this an attempt to impose an "air blockade."

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in turn, recalled that each state has full sovereign authority over its airspace, but also noted that countries have the right to warn airlines about the risks of flying over the territories of other countries.

Blockade of oil tankers

On December 10, tensions escalated following the US announcement of the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. President Trump claimed that Venezuelan oil was being used to finance criminal activity and ordered a "total and comprehensive blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers." The US subsequently imposed sanctions on six shipping companies and six vessels.

Venezuelan authorities described these steps as a "unilateral naval blockade" and, in letters to the Secretary-General and the President of the UN Security Council, stated that the US actions violate the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence and constitute a "violation of international law."

Amid the escalation, it was reported that the Venezuelan navy began escorting oil vessels leaving the country's ports. The US intercepted two more tankers off the coast of Venezuela on December 20 and 21.

The situation in Venezuela

Khaled Khiari also drew attention to deterioration of the situation of the residents of VenezuelaAccording to him, since the expansion of President Maduro's emergency powers, public life has become even more militarized, and humanitarian and human rights problems persist. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has reported forced conscription into the Bolivarian National Militia, including of adolescents and the elderly, as well as arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and severe socioeconomic hardship.

Nicolás Maduro, on his own initiative, held a telephone conversation with the UN Secretary-General on December 17. Antonio GuterresThe UN chief reaffirmed the Organization's position on the need to respect international law and the UN Charter, exercise restraint, and de-escalate in order to maintain regional stability.

Guterres pledged to support diplomatic efforts, including using his "good offices," stressing that "dialogue is the only viable path to lasting peace and the prevention of further instability and human suffering."

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December 23, 2025 Peace and security

Despite intensified diplomatic efforts in the second half of 2025, no progress has been made on agreements regarding the Iranian nuclear program, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo stated during a Security Council meeting on the implementation of the Resolution 2231 (2015).

Resolution 2231 was adopted in July 2015. It endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program, which was adopted in 2015 as a result of lengthy negotiations involving China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, and Iran itself. The deal provided for restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of previously imposed sanctions. The agreement included a "snapback mechanism" for reimposing sanctions if the parties to the agreement deemed Iran to be failing to fulfill its obligations.

Default

In August 2025, France, Germany and the United Kingdom notified the Security Council of their intention to invoke the mechanism, citing Iran's "material non-compliance" with its obligations.

BecauseThe UN Security Council did not adopt The resolution extending the sanctions waivers for the set deadline automatically reinstated the previously effective measures after September 27, 2025. However, several member states challenged the legality of this move. Russia, China, and Iran also claimed that Resolution 2231 expired on October 18, 2025. The EU3 countries—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—rejected this position.

Referring to the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) dated November 12, 2025, DiCarlo recalled that Iran ceased to comply with its obligations under the JCPOA on February 23, 2021. At the same time, the agency continued checking certain aspects of the program within the framework of the safeguards agreement under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The IAEA confirmed that Iran exceeded the JCPOA limits during this period and also reported that, as of October 18, 2025, it had no information on the status of its enriched uranium stockpiles. The agency concluded that an "agreed framework supported by interested countries" is necessary to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program and noted the IAEA Director General's readiness to engage with Iran "as soon as possible."

Diplomatic impasse

A crisis in diplomatic efforts followed escalation between Israel and Iran in June 2025 and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Despite the deep disagreements between the parties, Rosemary DiCarlo emphasized that all participants continue to affirm the importance of a diplomatic solution. According to her, "a negotiated settlement that ensures the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program and eases sanctions pressure remains the best option for the international community." The UN Secretariat, she added, remains fully at the disposal of the parties to facilitate this process.

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December 23, 2025 Human rights

The security and human rights situation in Myanmar is rapidly deteriorating ahead of the December 28 elections, which will be held under the full control of the military, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights announced on Tuesday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk noted that citizens face threats from both the military and armed groups opposing the junta. He stated that pressure on the population is becoming increasingly brutal. Türk stated that the military must stop using violence to force people to vote and stop arresting those who express dissent.

Harsh sentences and mass arrests

According to the UN, dozens of people were detained under the so-called "election protection law," but in reality for expressing their opinions. Some of those arrested received extremely harsh sentences. For example, three young Yangon residents were sentenced to terms ranging from 42 to 49 years for posting posters calling for a boycott of the elections.

Among those arrested were prominent cultural figures: director Mike Tee, actor Kyaw Win Thut, and comedian On Daing. Each received seven-year prison sentences for "violating public trust" after criticizing a propaganda film promoting voter participation.

Threats against displaced persons

Human rights activists are particularly alarmed by reports from displaced persons, including those in the Mandalay region. According to eyewitnesses, they are being threatened with attacks and confiscation of property if they do not return to their homes to vote. One source said, "They are telling displaced people, 'Go back to the city to vote. If you don't return, we will continue bombing you.'"

Türk stressed that forcing people to return to unsafe conditions is a violation of international law.

Attacks by anti-government groups

The military isn't the only threat in Myanmar. Armed groups opposed to the junta also resort to intimidation. In mid-November, nine teachers were kidnapped on their way to election-related training. They were later released after threats and intimidation.

In mid-November, the self-proclaimed "Yangon Army" bombed several government buildings, injuring election commission staff. The group announced its intention to continue attacks on election officials.

According to Türk, the current situation completely precludes the free expression of citizens' will in Myanmar. "These elections are taking place in an atmosphere of violence and repression. The conditions for freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, which are essential for people's full participation in the political process, are completely absent," the High Commissioner stated.

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December 23, 2025 Peace and security

On Tuesday morning, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on 12 Ukrainian regions and Kyiv, killing and injuring civilians. Damage to energy infrastructure led to power outages across Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country reported today.

According to available information, three civilians were killed, including one child. Another 13 people, including three children, were wounded. The UN mission, citing Ukrainian forces, reports that 635 drones and 38 missiles were used during the attack.

Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged again in the Chernihiv, Odesa, and Sumy regions. As a result, many Ukrainians are left without basic services, including electricity, during the cold winter weather. "As the cold season begins, the most vulnerable people need support. This violence must stop. Civilians must be protected," stated the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Humanitarian workers are supporting those affected by the recent wave of large-scale attacks across Ukraine. In Kyiv, Odesa, Zhytomyr, and other regions, UN agencies and their partners are providing psychosocial and legal support, distributing emergency housing repair materials, and registering people for cash assistance.

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