World News in Brief: Vaccine ‘patches’ trial shows promise, lowering catheter infection risk, Guantanamo detainee facing revictimisation

World News in Brief: Vaccine ‘patches’ trial shows promise, lowering catheter infection risk, Guantanamo detainee facing revictimisation

But now, there could be an easier alternative in the form of patches that can be simply applied to the skin, much like a sticking plaster. Early data from a vaccine patch trial in the Gambia has shown promising indications that it could be effective in protecting children from measles. The UN World Health Organization…

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Ukraine war, ‘stark reminder’ of the trials facing multilateralism

Ukraine war, ‘stark reminder’ of the trials facing multilateralism

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ian Borg briefed ambassadors during their annual meeting on cooperation between the UN and the regional body, which is comprised of 57 States spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America, representing one billion people.   The Maltese Foreign Minister said OSCE countries and their societies “are confronted with an era of profound uncertainty”, given…

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World News in Brief: Civilian deaths in Ukraine, refugees in Cameroon at risk, older women facing abuse, cholera in Somalia

World News in Brief: Civilian deaths in Ukraine, refugees in Cameroon at risk, older women facing abuse, cholera in Somalia

News reports said that residential buildings in the northern city of Kharkiv had been hit, killing one and injuring 16, quoting the city’s mayor.  Four children were wounded, with images posted to social media showing extensive damage and a body visible lying on the floor. The UN’s Denise Brown said that international law must be…

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24 million Sudanese children facing ‘generational catastrophe’

24 million Sudanese children facing ‘generational catastrophe’

Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, pitting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the CRC – an independent body ensuring children’s rights and protections worldwide – has documented a litany of atrocities. “There were worrying reports of rape of civilians, including children, denial of humanitarian access affecting children’s access…

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Sudan war leaves 700,000 children facing life-threatening malnutrition

Sudan war leaves 700,000 children facing life-threatening malnutrition

“The world’s largest displacement of children has been seen in Sudan,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “Four million children have been displaced.  That’s 13,000 children every single day, for 300 days. Safety, gone. Worldly possessions, gone. Friends and family members separated or lost. Hope, fading.” Earlier this week, the UN aid coordination office,…

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COVID-19: WHO designates JN.1 ‘variant of interest’ amid sharp rise in global spread

World News in Brief: Pandemic treaty in jeopardy, historic IOM appeal, ‘enormous obstacles’ facing Iran’s lawyers

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was addressing the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board when he said that “several outstanding issues” still needed to be resolved by governments and that time was “very short” to find consensus. “A failure to deliver the pandemic agreement and the International Health Regulations amendments will be a missed opportunity for which…

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Gaza crisis: another hospital facing dire shortages, warns WHO

Gaza crisis: another hospital facing dire shortages, warns WHO

In central Gaza, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Sunday that medics at the only functioning hospital in Deir al Balah governorate “had been forced to cease lifesaving and other critical activities…and leave” after an evacuation order issued amid “increasing” Israeli military activity. Only five doctors reportedly remain at Al-Aqsa Hospital in the…

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Haiti: Children facing triple threat of insecurity, malnutrition, disease

Haiti: Children facing triple threat of insecurity, malnutrition, disease

Over five million Haitians, including a record three million children, need humanitarian support in 2023. Nearly five million are acutely hungry, UNICEF said, adding the dire situation is “terrorizing children and families and destroying livelihoods amid unprecedented hunger, malnutrition and a resurgent cholera epidemic.”   Haiti was among the top five countries globally in terms…

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Human rights experts: Humanity facing ‘unprecedented global toxic emergency’

Human rights experts: Humanity facing ‘unprecedented global toxic emergency’

The fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM-5), organized by UN environment programme UNEP and hosted by Germany, kicks off in Bonn on Monday. “ICCM-5 is expected to be a watershed moment for international cooperation on chemicals and wastes”, said a statement released by the group of more than 30 experts.  …

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Coasts and sea life facing major threat due to massive sand removal

Coasts and sea life facing major threat due to massive sand removal

This is equivalent to over one million dump trucks every day – placing immense pressure on marine biodiversity and the well-being of coastal communities. Marine Sand Watch, a platform developed by UN Environment Programme (UNEP)’s analytical centre, GRID-Geneva, uses artificial intelligence and automatic signals from ships to track and monitor sand, clay, silt, gravel, and…

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