World News in Brief: Shipwreck tragedy off Djibouti coast, drone attacks continue at Ukraine nuclear plant, Madagascar cyclone update

World News in Brief: Shipwreck tragedy off Djibouti coast, drone attacks continue at Ukraine nuclear plant, Madagascar cyclone update

The incident took place at around 4 AM local time on Monday, about 200 meters offshore near the coastal town of Obock.  Twenty-two people were rescued by local fishermen and are being given treatment and support by IOM, agency spokesperson Yvonne Ndege told UN News in an exclusive interview. At least six others are missing…

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World News in Brief: $12 million for Haiti, Ukraine airstrikes condemned, support mine action

World News in Brief: $12 million for Haiti, Ukraine airstrikes condemned, support mine action

“These funds will enable aid partners to reach the hardest hit,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said on Thursday in a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.  Port-au-Prince has been terrorised by armed gangs, and last month, they tightened their grip following a weekend jailbreak which allowed thousands of criminals to…

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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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UN report details ‘climate of fear’ in Russian occupied areas of Ukraine

UN report details ‘climate of fear’ in Russian occupied areas of Ukraine

Based on over 2,300 testimonies from victims and witnesses, the report details measures taken by Russia to impose Russian language, citizenship, laws, court system and education curricula in the occupied areas, while at the same time suppressing expressions of Ukrainian culture and identity, and dismantling its governance and administrative systems. “The actions of the Russian…

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Top UN official slams Russia’s illegal elections in occupied Ukraine

Top UN official slams Russia’s illegal elections in occupied Ukraine

“Russia’s intention to conduct presidential elections from today, 15 March, until 17 March in areas of Ukraine under its control are unacceptable,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said. Under international humanitarian law, the occupying power – in this case, Russia – must uphold the laws of Ukraine in the occupied territories, she…

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World News in Brief: WFP boosts aid in Chad amid Sudan crisis, Ukraine education boost, counter-terrorism, the right to privacy

World News in Brief: WFP boosts aid in Chad amid Sudan crisis, Ukraine education boost, counter-terrorism, the right to privacy

The World Food Programme announced the operation on Tuesday and warned that lifesaving programmes in Chad will stop because of a funding crunch “in a matter of weeks”. Thousands of Sudan refugees continue to stream over the border into Chad to escape heavy fighting between warring generals that began last April.   Around one million…

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Ukraine war: Alarm raised in Security Council over civilian attacks

Ukraine war: Alarm raised in Security Council over civilian attacks

“We condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure,” said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. “They are prohibited under international law; they are unacceptable and must stop now.” “Regrettably, our repeated calls for protection of civilians appear to fall on deaf ears,” he said,…

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