Security Council: UN Police need greater support amid ‘many challenges’

Security Council: UN Police need greater support amid ‘many challenges’

Ambassadors met for their annual briefing with the heads of UN Police Components serving at field missions. Approximately 9,000 police officers – men and women – from 94 countries are deployed at UN peace operations, mainly in formed police units (FPUs) comprised of 140 members.  Unique responses required Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, opened…

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Ukraine: UN official ‘utterly outraged’ by brutal attack in Kherson

Ukraine: UN official ‘utterly outraged’ by brutal attack in Kherson

Dozens of civilians were killed and injured, including a two-month-old girl who was hospitalized for her injuries. A hospital and an ambulance were reportedly struck, with two healthcare workers and a patient reported to be among the injured. Civilians pay the price Denise Brown, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, issued a statement saying she was…

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USA: Slavery has left a deep and long-lasting legacy on the country, UN experts say

US ‘at a critical juncture’ in fight against racism: Independent expert

She travelled across the US between 31 October and 14 November, from Detroit in Michigan to the Louisiana coast, also visiting Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington DC. Ashwini K.P., UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance, said following her 14-day fact finding mission that mainstream America was now more aware…

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Attacks on or near Gaza hospitals ‘unconscionable, reprehensible and must stop’: Relief chief

Besieged Gaza hospital misery continues while rainfall prompts new health scare

“Rain will just add further to the suffering” of people in the Strip, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris told reporters in Geneva, at a time when disruptions in sewage pumping and water shortages have caused a spike in waterborne diseases and bacterial infections.  The World Health Organization warned last week that since mid-October, over 33,500 cases of…

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UN honours 101 staff killed in Gaza conflict

UN honours 101 staff killed in Gaza conflict

The fallen colleagues worked for the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, providing life-saving aid to Gaza’s 2.2 million people, amid constant bombardment and a complete siege of the enclave. They included school principals, teachers, doctors, engineers, guards, and support staff. Many were killed along with their family members. Minute of silence UN officials…

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World News in Brief: Water crisis for children, hunger in East Africa, new Yazidi memorial

World News in Brief: Water crisis for children, hunger in East Africa, new Yazidi memorial

The double burden of dwindling availability – and inadequate water for drinking and sanitation services – is compounding the challenge, putting children at even greater risk. The Climate Changed Child – released ahead of the COP28 UN climate change summit later this month in Dubai – throws a spotlight on the threat facing vulnerable children. It…

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Fuel shortage could put the brakes on trucks delivering aid to Gaza

Fuel shortage could put the brakes on trucks delivering aid to Gaza

The situation is unfolding as “lives are hanging by a thread”, including those of babies in incubators at hospitals that depend on fuel for electricity, Andrea De Domenico, Head of OCHA’s office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told journalists in New York on Monday. “Humanitarian ceasefire, fuel supplies – all of these should be happening now. We are running out…

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New round of plastics pollution treaty talks underway in Nairobi

New round of plastics pollution treaty talks underway in Nairobi

The urgency of this effort is underscored by the ongoing global plastic pollution crisis, where approximately 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually.  Around two-thirds of it is just thrown away, harming both the environment and the food chain. Convening for its third session, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) will focus on the so-called zero draft…

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