The morning assault reportedly involved Russian-fired missiles and drones which hit six Ukrainian regions leaving at least five dead. The attacks also disrupted essential services, including electricity, water and gas supplies, especially in Mykolaiv city and Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, when they are much needed this cold winter. “Millions of people rely on these services for…
Dr. Fiona Braka from WHO’s regional office in Brazzaville, Congo, said that eastern and southern Africa have been particularly badly affected. In just the first four weeks of the year, 10 African countries reported more than 26,000 cases and 700 deaths, which is nearly double the number reported last year over the same period. Zambia…
Lenovo Group, LG AI Research, Mastercard, Microsoft, Salesforce, Telefonica, GSMA network of mobile phone operators, and INNIT have pledged to “integrate the values and principles” of UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI when designing and deploying AI systems. The announcement came at the UN education, science and culture agency’s Global Forum on AI, taking place…
Drought is ravaging communities in Afar, Amhara, Tigray and Oromia, as well as the Southern and South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region. Severe water shortages, dried pastures and reduced harvests are impacting millions of people and livestock, with reports of food insecurity and rising malnutrition. Among those who are particularly vulnerable are people affected by the…
The alleged massacre happened in Welingara village in the Nara region of central Mali on 26 January. Some 30 civilians were also reportedly killed by unidentified gunmen in the Bandiagara region at the weekend. In his call for impartial investigations into the allegations, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized the need for justice…
The 117-page judgement contained rulings on seven matters in Ukraine’s case against Russia claiming that Moscow funded pro-Russian separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and the Crimean peninsula. The court ruled that Russia had failed to investigate persons who allegedly breached parts of the Convention against Financing Terrorism. In terms of Russia’s actions in Crimea after…
Escalating armed violence in Haiti has triggered a profound humanitarian crisis, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, warned on Wednesday. At least 170,000 children are now displaced – double the number from last year – amid a surge in gang-led killings and kidnappings, sexual violence and a severe food crisis. “In Haiti, children and families are…
Somalia was hit by multiple shocks last year, including devastating drought, unprecedented heavy rains and flooding, and further mass displacement. Millions of people also continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition, the UN said. The plan, launched with federal and state Governments, was launched as four million people – nearly a quarter of the population –…
Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand have received the first-ever WHO certificates for demonstrating that they have a best practice policy for industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFA) elimination in effect, supported by adequate monitoring and enforcement systems. Trans fats are industrially produced or naturally occurring, and both are linked to an increased risk of…
Prosecutor Karim Khan emphasized the “ugly and inescapable truth” that failure to act now is not only a damning verdict on the present but will subject future generations to a similar fate. “It cannot be a case of ‘play, rewind, and repeat’,” he warned. A clear assessment by his office indicated the presence of “grounds…
