International
Conflicts and disasters caused the displacement of 83 million people in 2024, a record figure
A total of 83.4 million people, a figure never recorded before, lived at the end of 2024 away from their homes in their own countries due to conflicts and natural disasters, according to the annual report of the Internal Displacement Observatory (IDMC).
The figure represents an increase of 11% compared to the previous year and indicates that in six years the domestic displacement figures have doubled, in a context of growing violence on all continents and greater frequency of extreme weather events as a result of climate change.
90% of these displacements (73.5 million, 10% more than in 2023) were caused by violence, with Sudan being the country most affected by this type of exodus, since two years of civil war have forced 11.6 million people to live far from their homes, the highest figure ever recorded in a single country.
Next are Syria, with 7.4 million internally displaced people, although this figure is expected to fall this year after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December, while Colombia, with 7.3 million, could instead increase these figures in 2025 with the growing conflict in the northeastern region of Catatumbo.
At the end of last year, 9.8 million people were displaced by natural disasters, an increase of 29% compared to a year earlier, of which one in seven (1.3 million) is in Afghanistan, a country that last year was hit by both droughts and floods.
The second country with the most disaster displaced people is Chad (1.2 million), followed by the Philippines (one million), Ethiopia (757,000) and Somalia (733,000).
Of all the displaced, almost half are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa (38.8 million), 20% in the Middle East and the Maghreb (16.6 million), 12% in the Americas (9.7 million) and 9% in South Asia (7.1 million).
In Europe, mainly because of the war in Ukraine, there are still 5.9 million internally displaced persons, 7% of the total, while in East Asia and the Pacific the number of people away from their homes is 5.2 million, 6%.
“These figures show that internal displacement is not only a humanitarian crisis: it is a clear political and development challenge that requires much more attention than it currently receives,” said IDMC director Alexandra Bilak, when presenting these figures.
Last year IDMC accounted for 20.1 million movements of displaced people due to conflict, including 5.3 million in the DRC, 3.7 million in Sudan and 3.2 million in Palestine, where due to the constant Israeli attacks many civilians have had to move several times throughout the conflict.
In addition, disaster movements totaled last year another record figure, 45.8 million, almost all due to floods and storms, hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons, although on many occasions they were temporary evacuations, after which the displaced were able to return home.
The fact that the United States ranked first in this indicator stands out, taking into account the massive evacuations carried out during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in Florida: in total, the displacements due to disasters in that country were 11 million.
Next, the Philippines (almost 9 million), India (5.4 million), China (3.9 million) and Bangladesh (2.4 million) were placed in the table.
IDMC warned that the number of countries in which displacements were recorded due to both conflicts and disasters has tripled since 2009, and that more than three quarters of internally displaced people at the end of 2024 lived in countries very vulnerable to climate change.
“Solving displacement requires both immediate efforts to help people who have lost everything and investments to address vulnerabilities, with the aim that people are not forced to move,” Bilak stressed.
To the internally displaced persons should be added the also growing number of people who have fled from conflicts, crises and disasters to other countries as refugees or asylum seekers, and which according to figures from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) amounted to 43.4 million in mid-2024.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America4 days agoGuatemala seizes over a ton of cocaine hidden in flour at Pacific port
-
International5 days agoDelcy Rodríguez seeks political agreements after Maduro’s ouster
-
International4 days agoHistoric snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow
-
Central America3 days agoGuatemala Police Arrest Prison Guard Caught in the Act of Extortion
-
Central America3 days agoHonduras swears in conservative president Asfura after disputed election
-
Central America3 days agoBukele leads public trust rankings as UCA survey highlights gains in security
-
International4 days agoSpain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds
-
International5 days agoFederal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage
-
International2 days agoFootball Fan Killed in Clashes After Colombian League Match
-
International3 days agoWinter Storm Fern Leaves 30 Dead and Over One Million Without Power Across the U.S.
-
Central America2 days agoGuatemala President Says Starlink Terminal Found Inside Prison
-
Sin categoría3 days agoEight Killed in Series of Armed Attacks in Ecuador’s Manabí Province
-
International3 days agoDoomsday clock moves to 85 seconds before midnight amid rising global risks
-
International4 days agoRights group says nearly 6,000 killed in Iran protest crackdown
-
International2 days agoMissing Spanish Sailor Rescued After 11 Days Adrift in Mediterranean
-
International2 days agoRubio Says U.S. Could Participate in Follow-Up Russia-Ukraine Talks
-
International3 days agoSpain approves plan to regularize up to 500,000 migrants in Historic Shift
-
Sin categoría3 days agoEl Salvador Launches Fourth Year of Ocean Mission to Protect Marine Ecosystems
-
International4 days agoVenezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says
-
International4 days agoEU launches new probe into X over AI-generated fake nude images
-
International15 hours agoU.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
-
International4 days agoSevere winter storm grips U.S., leaves multiple dead as extreme cold persists
-
International4 days agoFrance debates ban on social media for children under 15
-
International15 hours agoStorm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
-
International15 hours agoMan Arrested After Vehicle Crashes Into Jewish Institution in Brooklyn
-
International15 hours agoTrump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold