World News in Brief: Rafah escalation fears, Gaza war’s unprecedented death rate, Pakistan terrorist attacks condemned

World News in Brief: Rafah escalation fears, Gaza war’s unprecedented death rate, Pakistan terrorist attacks condemned

More than half of Gaza’s population of over two million is now crammed into the city, which is located on the border with Egypt and originally home to some 250,000 people. Congestion has reached a point where normal routes are blocked by tents set up by families seeking any flat, clean space available, OCHA said.  Garbage…

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Gazans ‘stalked by hunger, disease and death’ warns UN’s top aid official

Gazans ‘stalked by hunger, disease and death’ warns UN’s top aid official

“As the war in Gaza encroaches further into Rafah, I am extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of families which have endured the unthinkable in search of safety,” Mr. Griffiths said on X, formerly Twitter. The veteran humanitarian official’s comments came as media reports indicated that Israeli airstrikes overnight into Thursday in Rafah left…

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World News in Brief: Child deaths in Ukraine, alarm over US death row ‘experiment’, Timor Leste nutrition boost

World News in Brief: Child deaths in Ukraine, alarm over US death row ‘experiment’, Timor Leste nutrition boost

“Over the last six days, children and families, and the infrastructure they rely on have come under attack in Dnipro, Lviv, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, and other populated areas”, said Munir Mammadzade. With schools and health facilities destroyed and damaged, “Ukraine’s youngest citizens continue to bear the brunt of these attacks. Our heartfelt thoughts are with…

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World News in Brief: DR Congo mission extended, Sudan displacement deepens, warzone death toll for journalists spikes

World News in Brief: DR Congo mission extended, Sudan displacement deepens, warzone death toll for journalists spikes

The Mission, known as MONUSCO, has been in the country for two decades and is in the process of drawing down. MONUSCO will remain there until 20 December 2024 with a core mandate that includes protecting civilians, supporting security sector reform, and assisting in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) processes. Elections and insecurity  The Council…

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Israel-Palestine crisis: Gaza’s north cut off from aid; death toll rising

Israel-Palestine crisis: Gaza’s north cut off from aid; death toll rising

According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, 8,805 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October, including at least 3,648 children and 2,187 women, and some 22,240 have been injured, UN humanitarian coordination affairs office OCHA said. Strikes on Jabalia Refugee Camp OCHA stressed that as Israeli ground operations and bombardments in northern Gaza continued, “among…

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Iran: Executions and detentions in spotlight at Human Rights Council

Iran urged to end new rights clampdown following teenage girl’s death

They issued a statement expressing shock over the death of Armita Geravand, the teenager who collapsed in the subway in Iran’s capital, Tehran, earlier this month, allegedly following an altercation about failing to wear a headdress or hijab. Ms. Geravand died on Saturday, according to international reports which cited State media. The experts called for…

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Afghanistan: Aid efforts rapidly expand as post-quake death toll rises

Afghanistan: Aid efforts rapidly expand as post-quake death toll rises

“The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs and provide emergency assistance,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said. UN agencies, partners, and the de facto authorities continued to mount emergency operations. Initial assessments indicated that the 6.3 magnitude quake that struck 40 kilometres west of…

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Time to revoke death penalty for social media dissent, UN experts urge

Time to revoke death penalty for social media dissent, UN experts urge

Mr. Al Ghamdi was arrested by the Saudi security services on 11 June 2022 and charged with criminal offences for opinions he expressed on social media platforms X and YouTube. The charges included “betrayal of his religion, country, and rulers;” “spreading false rumours with intent to disrupt public order and destabilise security;” and “supporting terrorist…

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