UN rights chief urges Belarus to promptly release political detainees

‘Currently unsafe to return’ to Belarus, Human Rights Council hears

Focusing on developments in 2023, the report builds on previous findings in the aftermath of large public protests which erupted in 2020 following a disputed presidential poll.  Despite a lack of cooperation from Belarusian authorities, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said evidence gathered shows that the scale and pattern of violations has continued. “The…

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WHO study shows $39 return for each dollar invested in fight against TB

WHO study shows $39 return for each dollar invested in fight against TB

Relatively modest new investment could result in significant health and economic benefits, with up to $39 worth of benefits for each dollar invested, the UN agency said, announcing the findings of a study conducted in Brazil, Georgia, Kenya and South Africa. The returns extend beyond monetary, encompassing substantial improvements in public health outcomes and the…

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Afghanistan: Taliban’s return to ‘international norms’ is non-negotiable says UN mission chief

Afghanistan: Taliban’s return to ‘international norms’ is non-negotiable says UN mission chief

Roza Otunbayeva, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), also underscored the need for greater engagement with the de facto Taliban authorities who seized power in August 2021. She told the Council that the human rights situation in Afghanistan is characterized by systemic discrimination against women and girls, repression of political dissent…

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INTERVIEW: Planning the post-invasion return of citizens to Ukraine

INTERVIEW: Planning the post-invasion return of citizens to Ukraine

It’s estimated that 4.5 million more workers may be needed over the next decade in the labour force. UN News asked Michael Newson, Senior Programme Coordinator for Migration and Sustainable Development at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Kyiv, Ukraine, about how people could be encouraged back home. Michael Newson: IOM has already observed an…

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The eerie silence of starvation ‘is deafening, it never leaves you’: UN official

Rights experts denounce idea of ‘reformed’ Taliban two years after return to power

The gap between promises and practices by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities has widened during this period, they said, denouncing the idea of a “reformed” Taliban.  They said Taliban policies imposed on the population “have resulted in a continuous, systematic and shocking rescinding of a multitude of human rights, including the rights to education, work, and…

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It will take time for Saudi-Israeli relations to return to normal, Biden said

It will take time for Saudi-Israeli relations to return to normal, Biden said

Violent protests: France bans fireworks on National Day France bans fireworks on National Day after violent protests, with the government saying the ban was imposed to avoid any disturbance to public order on the national holiday. setTimeout(function(){ !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,’script’, ‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’); fbq(‘init’, ‘836181349842357’); fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’); }, 6000); /*setTimeout(function(){ (function (d, s,…

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WHO: ‘Long COVID’ may obstruct return to normal life for 36 million Europeans

WHO: ‘Long COVID’ may obstruct return to normal life for 36 million Europeans

This summer will be “the first in more than three years that many of us will enjoy without the looming threat of COVID-19”, but the life-threatening virus has not gone away completely, said WHO’s regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, told reporters at a virtual press conference from Copenhagen. Each week, the coronavirus causes at least…

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