UN aid official urges increased support for Niger

UN aid official urges increased support for Niger

Approximately 4.3 million people, over half of them children, have been affected by a multifaceted crisis characterized by conflict, climate-induced disasters, hunger and epidemics.   A military coup in July 2023 and the ensuing political instability has further exacerbated their plight. Edem Wosornu, Operations Director at the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),…

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World News in Brief: Time for climate justice urges UN chief, Ukraine war update, call for ‘free and fair’ elections

World News in Brief: Time for climate justice urges UN chief, Ukraine war update, call for ‘free and fair’ elections

Under the deal agreed by 193 countries in 2015 in the French capital, sticking to the limit will help humankind avoid the worst impacts of rising temperatures. This month is also on track to be so warm that for the first time ever, a 12-month cycle may exceed the 1.5°C threshold, according to Europe’s Copernicus…

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Ethiopia: Prioritize victims amidst legacy of rights abuses, UN office urges

Ethiopia: Prioritize victims amidst legacy of rights abuses, UN office urges

A joint report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission emphasized the need to implement all components of transitional justice equally. These include criminal accountability, truth-seeking, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence, involving effective remedies for victims, legal reforms, and reconciliation. One of the recommendations…

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Draw inspiration from human rights advocates worldwide, urges Guterres

Draw inspiration from human rights advocates worldwide, urges Guterres

Speaking at the awards ceremony of the UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights for 2023, Mr. Guterres stressed that rights defenders themselves were in need of greater protection. “The world needs leaders of countries, corporations, political parties, religious and civil organizations and beyond, to speak out against antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, attacks on minority…

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World News in Brief: End e-cigarette boom urges WHO, measles surge in Europe, Central Asia; crisis for kids in Lebanon

World News in Brief: End e-cigarette boom urges WHO, measles surge in Europe, Central Asia; crisis for kids in Lebanon

WHO said that 88 countries have no minimum age at which e-cigarettes can be bought and 74 countries have not implemented any e-cigarette regulations. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries to ramp up prevention measures, saying that “kids are being recruited and trapped at an early age to use e-cigarettes and may get…

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Stop ‘kicking the can down the road,’ UN chief urges COP28 deal on phaseout of fossil fuels

Stop ‘kicking the can down the road,’ UN chief urges COP28 deal on phaseout of fossil fuels

As COP28 entered its final 48 hours, the UN chief delivered a clear message to government negotiators: “We must conclude the conference with an ambitious outcome that demonstrates decisive action and a credible plan to keep 1.5-degree goal alive, protecting those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.”  ‘The clock is ticking’ Negotiators are engaged…

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