DPR Korea: Dialogue ‘only way forward’, UN official says in wake of latest launch

DPR Korea: Dialogue ‘only way forward’, UN official says in wake of latest launch

“I emphasize the importance of re-establishing communication channels, particularly between military entities,” said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, briefing ambassadors at the Security Council. “Exercising maximum restraints is critical to avoid unintended escalation. Diplomacy and dialogue – not isolation – is the only way forward.” On 24 August,…

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109-year-old Tulsa Massacre survivor reflects on legacy of slavery in UN visit

109-year-old Tulsa Massacre survivor reflects on legacy of slavery in UN visit

Together with her grandson, Ike Howard, the 109-year-old Ms. Fletcher came to UN Headquarters this week to commemorate the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) International Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. Standing in front of the Ark of Return monument, Ms. Fletcher and Mr. Howard spoke with UN News to discuss…

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Sudan crisis: You don’t dare ask refugees where the men have gone, say UN aid teams

Sudan: ‘lost generation’ of children amid war, hunger, disease: UN humanitarians

Mr. Griffiths said that the conflict spelled trauma for Sudan’s youth and cited “deeply disturbing” reports that some children were being used in the fighting.  He also warned that hundreds of thousands of children in the country were severely malnourished and “at imminent risk of death” if left untreated. Those children were particularly vulnerable to…

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New global fund ‘welcome boost’ to safeguarding biodiversity

New global fund ‘welcome boost’ to safeguarding biodiversity

The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, launched at the Global Environmental Facility Assembly in Vancouver, Canada, will support the implementation of the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and guide nature towards recovery by 2050. Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General, emphasized the importance of the Kunming-Montreal…

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Da’esh and affiliates still a threat in conflict zones, UN counter-terrorism officials report

Da’esh and affiliates still a threat in conflict zones, UN counter-terrorism officials report

Ambassadors were briefed by two senior UN counter-terrorism officials who presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on the group, also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which showed that the threat in non-conflict areas remains low.  “This analytical distinction can obscure what is the complex, context- specific and dynamic nature of how these groups operate and evolve and their impact on international…

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Central African Republic: ‘Tensions and divisions’ eroding human rights

Central African Republic: ‘Tensions and divisions’ eroding human rights

“Given the tensions and divisions arising from the constitutional referendum, the Central African authorities urgently need to engage all actors in a genuine political dialogue aimed at de-escalating the situation”, said Yao Agbetse, the UN Independent Expert on the Central African Republic, at the end of a 10-day visit to the country.  Inclusive talks “Only an…

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More than two million children displaced by Sudan war: UNICEF

More than two million children displaced by Sudan war: UNICEF

Fighting between the Sudanese Army and military rival the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April, has displaced 1.7 million children within the country while more than 470,000 have fled across the border to safety.  Urgent response needed  Given these numbers, and that countless more children are trapped by the violence,  “the urgency of our collective response…

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