World News in Brief: UN staff detained in Yemen, cyclone threat for Haiti, rights chief Lao PDR, climate change

World News in Brief: UN staff detained in Yemen, cyclone threat for Haiti, rights chief Lao PDR, climate change

“We are very concerned about these developments, and we are actively seeking clarification from the Houthi de facto authorities regarding the circumstances of these detentions and most importantly to ensure the immediate access to those UN personnel,” Mr. Dujarric said.   Of the detainees, two are women and nine are men. Six work for the…

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East Africa: UN support continues amid heavy rains, severe floods and cyclone threat

East Africa: UN support continues amid heavy rains, severe floods and cyclone threat

Torrential rains could worsen with the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Hidaya, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on Friday.  Prepare for impact  The tropical cyclone is the first of its kind to develop in eastern Africa and is due to have a “very big impact”, WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis told journalists in Geneva. She said Tanzania was expected to suffer in particular…

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Tourism ‘intrinsically susceptible’ to climate shocks, political unrest, pandemic threat

Tourism ‘intrinsically susceptible’ to climate shocks, political unrest, pandemic threat

Addressing a high-level meeting on tourism as part of the General Assembly’s first ever Sustainability Week, Dennis Francis said it was a vital driver of economic growth and empowerment. In 2023, the sector contributed three per cent to the global gross domestic product (GDP), amounting to $3.3 trillion, and employed one in every ten people…

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World News in Brief: Looming famine threat for Sudan, 3.3 million in need near Ukraine frontline, Haiti update, there’s a place for all in outer space

World News in Brief: Looming famine threat for Sudan, 3.3 million in need near Ukraine frontline, Haiti update, there’s a place for all in outer space

After nearly a year of brutal civil war between rival militaries, food production has been hit and communities face acute shortages of other essential resources such as water and fuel. More than eight million people are believed to have been uprooted from their homes with tens of thousands killed or wounded. The World Health Organization…

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Chemicals used in household chores are a threat to mental health

Chemicals used in household chores are a threat to mental health

Ohio: Many household chemicals, including hair products, furniture sprays and disinfectants, can pose a mental health risk, according to experts. According to media reports, research conducted by American experts has shown that many household chemicals can increase the risk of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and autism. The research was done by experts from…

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'We must push for lasting peace in Gaza,' UN chief insists, as starvation threat nears

‘We must push for lasting peace in Gaza,’ UN chief insists, as starvation threat nears

“The need is urgent,” Mr. Guterres said in Amman, alongside Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safady, as he pledged to keep pushing “for the removal of all obstacles to life-saving aid, for more access and more entry points” into Gaza. The UN chief’s appeal came amid increasingly dire scenes reported by UN humanitarians and other aid…

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World News in Brief: Syria violence intensifying, heavy weapons threat in Myanmar, justice call for Thai lawyer

World News in Brief: Syria violence intensifying, heavy weapons threat in Myanmar, justice call for Thai lawyer

The UN Syria Commission of Inquiry, which reports to the Human Rights Council, warned that fighting escalated on 5 October last year, when consecutive explosions at a military academy graduation ceremony in government-controlled Homs killed at least 63 people, including 37 civilians. The Syrian Government and Russian forces “responded with bombardments” that struck at least…

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Iran: Harassment, reprisals continue for Mahsa Amini’s family

World News in Brief: Rights violations in Iran, Haiti chaos grows, prison reform in face of pandemic threat

The report to the Human Rights Council said violations and crimes under international law committed in the protests sparked by the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in September 2022 include extra-judicial and unlawful killings and murder, unnecessary and disproportionate use of force, arbitrary deprivation of liberty, torture, rape, enforced disappearances and gender persecution. “These acts…

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