UN agencies condemn deadly strike on Gaza hospital

UN agencies condemn deadly strike on Gaza hospital

An Israeli airstrike struck al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City, international media reported, citing the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled enclave. The details have yet to be verified, but the Israeli Defense Forces tweeted that according to its intelligence information, rockets fired by Islamic Jihad militants towards Israel were to blame, having deviated off course….

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Israel-Gaza crisis: Competing Security Council resolutions reveal diplomatic fault lines

Israel-Gaza crisis: Competing Security Council resolutions reveal diplomatic fault lines

The 15-member body that oversees peace and security issues, is expected to decide on a second draft resolution later on Tuesday, led by Brazil. While it does not officially represent the position of the Council until adopted, this proposal aims to mitigate ongoing humanitarian suffering on the ground, establish corridors for safe aid delivery, as…

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Human rights experts urge Pakistan to stop planned mass deportation of Afghans

Human rights experts urge Pakistan to stop planned mass deportation of Afghans

The Government of Pakistan, which has hosted millions of Afghans for decades, recently announced that all “undocumented” foreign nationals must leave the country by 1 November or face deportation to their countries of origin. These plans would impact many Afghans who fled to Pakistan seeking safety and protection due to serious human rights concerns and…

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Africa: Great Lakes envoy urges international support amid rising hostilities

Africa: Great Lakes envoy urges international support amid rising hostilities

Speaking before the Security Council, Huang Xia expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation and potential for a direct conflict between the DRC and Rwanda, who have accused each other of supporting armed groups within each other’s territory. Mr. Xia highlighted the resurgence of large-scale hostilities in the restive eastern DRC alongside the worsening…

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Guterres: Turn ‘infrastructure emergency’ into opportunity, but also protect nature

Guterres: Turn ‘infrastructure emergency’ into opportunity, but also protect nature

António Guterres was speaking at the third international forum on China’s Belt and Road initiative, which has funded and built roads, power plants, bridges, ports and other facilities across developing countries over the past decade.  Although infrastructure “is the foundation of everyday life for people and economies”, Mr. Guterres recalled that billions in the developing…

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Gaza: 'History is watching' warns UN relief chief, saying aid access is key priority

Gaza: ‘History is watching’ warns UN relief chief, saying aid access is key priority

“History is watching,” Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths told UN News in Geneva, highlighting the desperate situation facing around one million Gazans uprooted in the last week, after the Israeli military warned of an imminent offensive following the deadly 7 October attacks on Israel by militant group Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza strip since…

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Sudan: UN expert warns of child recruitment by armed forces

Sudan: UN expert warns of child recruitment by armed forces

Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, said unaccompanied children and children from poor families have reportedly been targeted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in the outskirts of the capital Khartoum and elsewhere. They’ve forcibly recruited women and children especially, she warned.  Girls have also reportedly been abducted from Khartoum to…

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Libya: Mission chief updates Security Council on flood disaster ‘beyond imagination’

Libya: Mission chief updates Security Council on flood disaster ‘beyond imagination’

Briefing the Security Council, Abdoulaye Bathily noted the thousands of lives lost by the dam bursts which destroyed whole neighbourhoods after Storm Daniel slammed the region on 10 September.  The Special Representative told ambassadors that despite the sense of national unity and compassion shown by ordinary Libyans, the disaster had revealed “severe governance deficits” across…

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Global leaders call for action to meet ambitious development boost

Global leaders call for action to meet ambitious development boost

The weeklong forum, organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), focuses on the challenges faced by developing countries amid today’s overlapping global crises. The Secretary-General urged participants – including national and business leaders, sustainable stock exchanges, sovereign wealth funds and finance experts – to put the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) Stimulus Package…

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