World News in Brief: Russia pulls out of nuclear test ban treaty, climate ‘health crisis’, pushback against bullying

World News in Brief: Russia pulls out of nuclear test ban treaty, climate ‘health crisis’, pushback against bullying

It opened for signatures in 1996 and has been ratified by 178 countries. Some major powers including the US and China have not done so, and it has yet to come into force, lacking the required support. According to the Kremlin, say media reports, the move levels the nuclear playing field given the failure of…

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Iran: Executions and detentions in spotlight at Human Rights Council

Iran urged to end new rights clampdown following teenage girl’s death

They issued a statement expressing shock over the death of Armita Geravand, the teenager who collapsed in the subway in Iran’s capital, Tehran, earlier this month, allegedly following an altercation about failing to wear a headdress or hijab. Ms. Geravand died on Saturday, according to international reports which cited State media. The experts called for…

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At UK’s AI Summit, Guterres says risks outweigh rewards without global oversight

At UK’s AI Summit, Guterres says risks outweigh rewards without global oversight

Addressing the Summit on Artificial Intelligence Safety convened by the United Kingdom, at the famous Bletchley Park estate – where Allied code breakers made a huge contribution to the war effort cracking Nazi codes – the UN chief emphasized the need for “sustained and structured conversation” around its risks, challenges and opportunities. “The United Nations…

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Israel-Palestine crisis: Gaza’s north cut off from aid; death toll rising

Israel-Palestine crisis: Gaza’s north cut off from aid; death toll rising

According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, 8,805 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October, including at least 3,648 children and 2,187 women, and some 22,240 have been injured, UN humanitarian coordination affairs office OCHA said. Strikes on Jabalia Refugee Camp OCHA stressed that as Israeli ground operations and bombardments in northern Gaza continued, “among…

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UPDATING LIVE: UN General Assembly debates US embargo against Cuba

UPDATING LIVE: UN General Assembly debates US embargo against Cuba

10:14 AM Chile Paula Narváez Ojeda, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Chile, reaffirmed her country’s conviction that the implementation of unliteral coercive measures runs counter to international law “Chile does not agree with the imposition of unilateral sanctions of any kind, the only legitimate sanctions are those adopted by the Security Council in the exercise…

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Day highlighting journalists under fire focuses on protection during elections

Day highlighting journalists under fire focuses on protection during elections

Between January 2019 and June 2022, the agency documented 759 individual attacks against journalists, including five killings, during 89 elections in 70 countries. Most of these attacks – which included beating and arbitrary arrest – were committed by police and security forces. Attacked from all around  The findings come in a report published in tandem with the International Day to End…

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Countries urged to take more action against chemical pollution

Climate action: ‘Take steps to close the adaptation gap, now’

The Adaptation Gap Report 2023 issued by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), says the world is underprepared, under invested and lacking the necessary planning, leaving us all exposed. It warns that instead of speeding up, progress on adapting to climate change is stalling. The slowdown extends to finance, planning and implementation, says UNEP, with massive…

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World News in Brief: Mali mission latest, starvation alert for ‘hotspots’, inclusive sport for all

World News in Brief: Mali mission latest, starvation alert for ‘hotspots’, inclusive sport for all

In line with the accelerated withdrawal process of the UN’s stabilization mission, MINUSMA, the convoy initially left by road on Tuesday for Gao, and suffered two attacks from improvised explosives on the way that caused vehicle damage and minor injuries to two peacekeepers which were treated on site. Thursday’s incident involved another explosive device leading…

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Israel-Palestine crisis: UN welcomes first medical evacuations from Gaza

Israel-Palestine crisis: UN welcomes first medical evacuations from Gaza

“We have been working with Egypt’s Health Ministry on planning for medical evacuations and will continue to support,” said the World Health Organization (WHO) head. His comments came amid reports that the Rafah passenger terminal between Egypt and Gaza had been allowed to opened on an exceptional basis Wednesday morning for the first time since…

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Rise in intimidation, settler violence in the West Bank, warns OCHA

Rise in intimidation, settler violence in the West Bank, warns OCHA

Israeli settler violence has increased significantly, from an already high average of three incidents per day in 2023 to seven a day now, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA). During this period, OCHA recorded 171 settler attacks against Palestinians, resulting in 26 different casualty incidents, damage to 115 Palestinian…

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