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Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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November 28, 2025 Economic development

The proportion of overexploited fish species in the Mediterranean and Black Seas has fallen to its lowest level in ten years. However, threats to the sustainability of these waters' resources remain, according to a report released today by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Aquaculture – the commercial breeding and cultivation of aquatic organisms – is rapidly expanding and becoming the main source of marine bioresources in the region.

Since 2013, General Commission member countries have adopted 11 management plans, established 11 closed fishing zones, and initiated 18 research programs and pilot projects. However, 52 percent of assessed stocks remain overexploited. This is an improvement from 87 percent ten years ago, but still too high for the sustainability of marine ecosystems, experts note.

At the same time, demand for seafood in the region will grow due to population growth and changing consumer preferences. To maintain current per capita consumption levels, production must increase by 14–29 percent by 2050, the report's authors emphasize.

Stocks are being restored

The 2025 report "State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries"—the most comprehensive to date—covers 120 marine species in the region. It shows that close cooperation and science-based management are already yielding results. In ten years, fishing pressure has been halved, and a number of key stocks have begun to recover.

From 2013 to 2023, marine mortality from fishing activities decreased sharply, and the biomass of commercially important species increased by 25 percent thanks to strengthened science-based management measures. The report documents significant progress for a number of key species. For example, red mullet and deep-sea red shrimp have demonstrated a steady decline in fishing mortality.

Species under specialized management plans recover faster. For example, the European sole in the Adriatic has shown a 42 percent reduction in mortality and a 64 percent increase in biomass since 2019. The Black Sea turbot has shown an 86 percent reduction in mortality and a 310 percent increase in biomass since 2013.

Meanwhile, sardines continue to be overexploited. European hake, despite a 38 percent reduction in fishing mortality since 2015, is showing only modest signs of recovery.

Aquaculture as a growth driver

For the first time, the report includes a detailed analysis of the state of aquaculture in the region. Including freshwater species, the sector generates nearly 3 million tons of production and $9.3 billion in revenue. Marine and brackishwater aquaculture generates $5.2 billion and supports 113,000 jobs.

Marine and brackishwater aquaculture accounts for over 45 percent of aquatic bioresources, reaching 940,000 tonnes of production in 2023. Combined, fisheries, aquaculture, and associated value chains generated 2.06 million tonnes of production, $21.5 billion in revenue, and 1.17 million jobs in the region in 2023.

Only 11 species account for 99 percent of production, of which 34.5 percent is sea bream and 29.7 percent is sea bass. Eight countries produce 95.5 percent of the total output, with Turkey (400,000 tonnes), Egypt (147,000 tonnes), and Greece (139,000 tonnes) leading the way.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

November 28, 2025 Economic development

The proportion of overexploited fish species in the Mediterranean and Black Seas has fallen to its lowest level in ten years. However, threats to the sustainability of these waters' resources remain, according to a report published today by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Aquaculture – the commercial breeding and cultivation of aquatic organisms – is rapidly expanding and is becoming the main source of marine bioresources in the region.

Since 2013, General Commission member countries have adopted 11 management plans, established 11 closed fishing zones, and initiated 18 research programs and pilot projects. However, 52 percent of assessed stocks remain overexploited. This is an improvement from 87 percent ten years ago, but still too high for the sustainability of marine ecosystems, experts note.

At the same time, demand for seafood in the region will grow due to population growth and changing consumer preferences. To maintain current per capita consumption levels, production must increase by 14–29 percent by 2050, the report's authors emphasize.

Stocks are being restored

The 2025 report "State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries"—the most comprehensive to date—covers 120 marine species in the region. It shows that close cooperation and science-based management are already yielding results. In ten years, fishing pressure has been halved, and a number of key stocks have begun to recover.

From 2013 to 2023, marine mortality from fishing activities decreased sharply, and the biomass of commercially important species increased by 25 percent thanks to strengthened science-based management measures. The report documents significant progress for a number of key species. For example, red mullet and deep-sea red shrimp have demonstrated a steady decline in fishing mortality.

Species under specialized management plans recover faster. For example, the European sole in the Adriatic has shown a 42 percent reduction in mortality and a 64 percent increase in biomass since 2019. The Black Sea turbot has shown an 86 percent reduction in mortality and a 310 percent increase in biomass since 2013.

Meanwhile, sardines continue to be overexploited. European hake, despite a 38% reduction in fishing mortality since 2015, is showing only modest signs of recovery.

Aquaculture as a growth driver

For the first time, the report includes a detailed analysis of the state of aquaculture in the region. Including freshwater species, the sector generates nearly 3 million tonnes of production and $9.3 billion in revenue. Marine and brackishwater aquaculture generates $5.2 billion and employs 113,000 people.

Marine and brackishwater aquaculture accounts for over 45 percent of aquatic bioresources, reaching 940,000 tonnes of production in 2023. Combined, fisheries, aquaculture, and associated value chains generated 2.06 million tonnes of production, $21.5 billion in revenue, and 1.17 million jobs in the region in 2023.

Only 11 species account for 99 percent of production, of which 34.5 percent is sea bream and 29.7 percent is sea bass. Eight countries produce 95.5 percent of the total output, with Turkey (400,000 tonnes), Egypt (147,000 tonnes), and Greece (139,000 tonnes) leading the way.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

November 28, 2025 Healthcare

Europe is failing to meet the challenge of early HIV detection and treatment: more than half (54 percent) of all diagnoses in 2024 were made too late to provide optimal treatment. This is according to new data published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe ahead of World AIDS Day.

"A serious failure"

The study's authors warn that a serious failure in testing, compounded by rising numbers of undetected cases, significantly undermines the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

According to the annual HIV/AIDS monitoring report, 105,922 new cases of HIV infection were registered in the WHO European Region, which encompasses 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, in 2024. Although the total number of registered cases has decreased slightly compared to 2023, available data indicate persistent gaps in testing and diagnosis.

Late diagnosis

The high rate of late diagnoses means that many people do not receive life-saving antiretroviral therapy and medical care in a timely manner. This increases the risk of developing AIDS, death, and further HIV transmission.

In the 30 countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA), 24,164 HIV cases were registered, representing a rate of 5.3 per 100,000 people. Key findings from the 2024 data indicate that 48 percent of diagnoses in these countries are late.

Sex between men remains the most common route of HIV transmission in the EU/EEA (48 percent), but the number of cases associated with heterosexual transmission is increasing and accounts for almost 46 percent of all diagnoses.

Read also:

UNAIDS report: HIV response faces biggest crisis in years

Vulnerable groups

In the WHO European Region, 54 percent of diagnoses were made late. The highest proportion of late diagnoses is observed among people infected through heterosexual contact (especially men) and people who inject drugs.

Almost one in three new diagnoses in 2024 occurred in people born outside the country of diagnosis. In EU/EEA countries, migrants accounted for more than half of new cases, highlighting the need for accessible, targeted, and culturally appropriate preventive and diagnostic services.

Hidden Crisis

WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge believes the data "paints a mixed picture." He noted that HIV testing in the region has recovered since 2020, leading to an increase in diagnoses in 11 countries in 2024. In 2024 alone, 105,922 people were diagnosed with HIV, bringing the total number of cases registered since the 1980s to 2.68 million. "However, the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV is growing—a hidden crisis fueling the spread of infection," he added.

"We're not doing enough to remove the deadly barriers of stigma and discrimination that prevent people from getting a simple test," Dr. Kluge emphasized. "Early diagnosis isn't a privilege, it's the path to a long, healthy life and the key to the fight against HIV."

Call to action

The study authors call for urgent action to expand and implement testing, including greater access to self-testing and community-based options that can reach people who do not seek medical attention.

The goal of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 remains achievable, but only if the European Region takes action now to close the testing gap, say experts from the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

World AIDS Day

This year's World AIDS Day theme is "From Challenge to Transformation in the HIV Response." In his message for the Day, the UN Secretary-General recalls the progress made in recent decades but warns that for many people around the world, the crisis continues, and cuts to resources and services threaten "lives and hard-won gains."

According to Antonio GuterresThe fight against AIDS means empowering communities, investing in prevention, and expanding access to treatment for all. Every stage of this work, the UN chief believes, must be rooted in human rights, ensuring no one is left behind. "We can end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030," Guterres declared, calling for "finishing the job."

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

November 28, 2025 Healthcare

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new report finding that global vaccination efforts have reduced measles deaths by 88 percent between 2000 and 2024, saving nearly 59 million lives.

However, despite the impressive decline in mortality, the disease continues to spread. In 2024, approximately 95,000 people died from measles, mostly children under five. This is one of the lowest figures in recent decades, but every death from a disease preventable with an inexpensive and effective vaccine remains a tragedy.

According to the WHO, the number of measles cases worldwide has risen sharply: in 2024, approximately 11 million were registered – 800,000 more than before the pandemic in 2019.

“Measles is the most contagious virus in the world, and these data show once again that it exploits any gaps in our collective defenses,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “If every child in every community is vaccinated, we can avoid outbreaks, save lives, and ultimately eliminate the disease.”

Regional trends

In the Eastern Mediterranean, the number of measles cases increased by 86 percent compared to 2019, in Europe by 47 percent, and in Southeast Asia by 42 percent.

Africa, by contrast, has shown a decline: the number of cases has fallen by 40 percent, and deaths by 50 percent, which is due to increased vaccination coverage.

In 2024, 84 percent of children worldwide received the first dose of vaccine, while only 76 percent received the second, while at least 95 percent coverage with two doses is needed to prevent transmission. More than 30 million children remained unprotected, three-quarters of them in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Large outbreaks

In 2024, major measles outbreaks were reported in 59 countries, almost three times more than in 2021. In 2025, the situation worsened in countries in North and South America, where large outbreaks also began.

The WHO warns that cuts in funding for laboratory networks and national vaccination programs could lead to further lapses in immune protection and an increase in the number of infections.

Moving towards a measles-free world

By the end of 2024, measles had been eliminated in 81 countries. In 2025, these countries were joined by the Pacific island nations, as well as Cape Verde, Mauritius, and the Seychelles—the first African countries to be certified as measles-free. A total of 96 countries now have measles-free status.

Even in developed countries, the disease sometimes resurfaces due to vaccination rates falling below the 95 percent threshold. The WHO is calling on governments to make sustained investments to ensure all children receive two doses of the vaccine and to strengthen surveillance systems.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.