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Rohingya sea crossings hit record death toll in 2025, UNHCR says

Nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal in 2025, making it the deadliest year on record for the route, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday. More than one in seven of the estimated 6,500 Rohingya refugees who attempted the sea crossing last year were reported missing or dead, the highest mortality rate worldwide for refugee and migrant sea journeys, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva. The dangerous sea crossings have continued into 2026, with more than 2,800 Rohingya embarking on such journeys up until April 13 this year, Baloch said. "This sad and tragic trend continues, this sense of desperation among the Rohingya population," he said. Read: UN looks to boost food security for Rohingya in Bangladesh Deadly maritime journeys have become a recurring feature of a long-running humanitarian crisis resulting from conflict in Myanmar, as members of the Rohingya Muslim minority continue to ris...
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Iran rejects temporary ceasefire, seeks end to war across region

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said Tehran rejects any temporary ceasefire and is seeking a comprehensive end to the war across the region. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Khatibzadeh said any ceasefire must include all conflict zones “from Lebanon to the Red Sea,” describing it as a “red line” for Iran. “We are not accepting any temporary ceasefire,” he said, adding that the cycle of conflict “should end here once and for all.” Khatibzadeh said Pakistan’s mediation aims to achieve that goal. On the Strait of Hormuz, he said the waterway has historically remained open, noting that it lies within Iran’s territorial waters but has long been accessible. Also Read: Trump says Iran war should end 'soon', says Hezbollah should support truce He accused the US and Israel of triggering instability in the region, saying their actions have negatively affected global trade and the wider economy. Khatibzadeh said Iran remains committed to keeping the Strait open, but indicated that new arrangements could be introduced in light of the current situation, including considerations related to security, safe passage and environmental concerns. He added that a lasting resolution to the conflict, along with what he described as a shift away from “maximalist positions” by the US, would ensure that the Strait of Hormuz remains a stable route for global commerce. Read More: Iran slams ‘one-sided’ UN draft, labels US sanctions ‘economic terrorism’ Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has been in Tehran since Wednesday, holding meetings with Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. CDF Munir also held talks with senior Iranian military officials as part of mediation efforts aimed at ending the conflict. Pakistan previously hosted negotiations after brokering a 14-day ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on April 8, following the US-Israeli military offensive against Iran that began on February 28. World leaders and senior officials are attending the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye from April 17 to 19, focusing on global challenges and regional tensions.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

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US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

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