315,000 grave violations against children in conflict over 18 years: UNICEF

315,000 grave violations against children in conflict over 18 years: UNICEF

The UN-verified figures were reported by the agency as States, donors and the humanitarian community meet in Norway, for the Oslo Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict. The 315,000 incidents were recorded in more than 30 conflict situations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. They include more than 120,000 children killed or maimed;…

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Time running out to save Myanmar’s Rakhine from hunger and disease post-Cyclone Mocha

Time running out to save Myanmar’s Rakhine from hunger and disease post-Cyclone Mocha

Some 1.6 million people in Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Sagaing, and Kachin states are in dire need of assistance after Mocha’s 250 kilometre per hour wind gusts destroyed homes, farmland and livestock. Speaking from hard-hit Rakhine State capital Sittwe, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Myanmar, Titon Mitra, said that time was of the essence as food reserves…

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Counter-terrorism 'rhetoric' used to justify rise of surveillance technology: human rights expert

Regulation essential to curb AI for surveillance, disinformation: rights experts

In a statement on Friday, the experts said that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence-based biometric surveillance systems, are increasingly being used “in sensitive contexts”, without individuals’ knowledge or consent ‘Urgent red lines’ must be drawn “Urgent and strict regulatory red lines are needed for technologies that claim to perform emotion or gender recognition,” said the experts,…

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US state abortion bans ‘putting millions of women and girls at risk’

US state abortion bans ‘putting millions of women and girls at risk’

Since the start of the year, abortion has been banned in 14 states across the country, and the consequences of the Supreme Court decision has reverberated throughout the entire legal and policy system, the Human Rights Council-appointed experts said. “The regressive position taken by the US Supreme Court…by essentially dismantling 50 years of precedent protecting…

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Sudan: Crisis fuels ‘desperate’ situation for civilians, as Security Council demands unhindered humanitarian access

Sudan: Crisis fuels ‘desperate’ situation for civilians, as Security Council demands unhindered humanitarian access

In a press statement issued late on Friday, the UN Security Council expressed its “deep concern” over the continued clashes, condemning all attacks on civilians, and calling for “rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Sudan”. The 15-member body emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire, and reaffirmed its backing for the UN transition mission…

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