‘History is judging us all,’ Guterres says in fresh appeal for Gaza aid access

‘History is judging us all,’ Guterres says in fresh appeal for Gaza aid access

His call came just hours before UN agencies reported that phone lines, internet and mobile service in Gaza went down. “Gaza has lost contact with the outside world amid reports of intensified bombardment,” Lynn Hastings, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Palestine, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The World Health Organization (WHO) has “lost…

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Gaza crisis: General Assembly adopts resolution calling for ‘humanitarian truce’, civilian protection

Gaza crisis: General Assembly adopts resolution calling for ‘humanitarian truce’, civilian protection

The resolution breaks the deadlock at the UN over a response to the Israel-Palestine crisis which erupted on 7 October, where Member States on the Security Council have failed to reach agreement on four draft resolutions. Voting result The breakdown of the recorded vote, conducted shortly before 4 PM (New York time), included 120 members…

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International support critical to forge lasting peace in Central African Republic

International support critical to forge lasting peace in Central African Republic

Ms. Rugwabiza, who also heads the UN Mission in the country, MINUSCA, presented its latest report covering developments in the wake of the 31 July constitutional referendum. She said MINUSCA continues to support Government efforts to “decentralize” the peace process with armed groups, including recent initiatives to extend state presence in areas that have been…

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New UN Advisory Body aims to harness AI for the common good

New UN Advisory Body aims to harness AI for the common good

The members of the AI Advisory Body – launched on Thursday by Secretary-General António Guterres – will examine the risks, opportunities and international governance of these technologies. Mr. Guterres pointed to the extraordinary advance in the capabilities and use of AI over the past year, including through chatbots, voice cloning, image generators and video apps. …

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World News in Brief: Ukraine dam disaster update, childcare investment, healthcare under fire in Sudan

World News in Brief: Ukraine dam disaster update, childcare investment, healthcare under fire in Sudan

These are the grim findings of an assessment published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Thursday, which calls for both immediate and long-term remediation measures. Hundreds of square kilometres were flooded in the disaster, and thousands of square kilometres of reservoir and wetlands were desiccated. UNEP’s preliminary assessment carried out at the request of…

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Israel-Palestine: Blockade puts Gaza aid on the line, WHO spotlights soaring mental health needs in Israel

Israel-Palestine: Blockade puts Gaza aid on the line, WHO spotlights soaring mental health needs in Israel

An alert from Gaza’s main hospital in the south of the enclave that lifesaving operations would stop on Wednesday evening because of fuel shortages followed an appeal from UN chief António Guterres for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. A truce was needed, he told the Security Council on Tuesday, “to ease epic suffering, make the delivery…

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More action needed to advance women’s role in global peace and security

More action needed to advance women’s role in global peace and security

Addressing the Council’s annual debate on resolution 1325, he appealed for countries to “urgently bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality” through concrete action in the areas of participation, financing and leadership. “Of 18 peace agreements reached last year, only one was signed or witnessed by a representative of a women’s group or organization,” he…

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